Angels Fly Above
by Fangirl Shrieks
Summary: It was just a spider," he stifled a laugh. "Spiders are so small," Percy shook his head at her, smirking smugly. "So are grenades," she snapped. "Don't you have any fears?" Annabeth was clearly frustrated. "Of course. Mine are just less conventional than most." OR Annabeth works at her mom's record company; Percy is a new artist. Slow Burn/Angst Percabeth AU
1. Judging Books By Covers

**A/N: Been meaning to start a new story for some time. This time I think I have most of the plot decided so I shouldn't get too many writer's blocks this time.**

 **I hope you like it. I'll try to update as much as possible, but I don't have a good history with updating very quickly. I'll try to make the chapters longer as I go.**

 **Disclaimer: All rights to Rick Riordan. I only own the plot.**

Annabeth Chase huffed, stumbling as she tried to pull the sock over her toes. She jumped around, awkwardly, in order to maintain her balance. Her alarm clock hadn't gone off that morning, but at the moment that was the last thing on her mind. Annabeth was busy panicking about the fact that she was about to be late for work and her mother was going to murder her. Athena Chase. Or rather- Athena Stone. She went with her maiden name now, though her daughter kept her last name. Annabeth straightened her black blazer and smoothed down her pencil skirt as quickly as possible, praying the bun on her head kept her curls properly, so she wouldn't appear disheveled. Annabeth quickly snatched up a grey umbrella near the door, for it was raining cats and dogs out there on the New York City streets. She'd spent a good half an hour on her makeup and hair- like hell she'd let the rain mess that up.

She swiftly slipped her feet into black heels and snatched her keys, shoving her arms into a jacket and hurriedly wrapping herself in a red scarf, along with red gloves, and earmuffs. She appeared to be your typical city girl. Heels as high as the skyscrapers, perfectly made face, latest iPhone brand. Of course, her eyes ruined the image. They were cold and calculated and once she opened her mouth, you knew you fucked up. Thought she was pretty? If you valued your life, you wouldn't hit on her. Oh, how she'd kill you with a look.

Annabeth rushed out of her average apartment, an apartment that did not reveal her mother's wealth. Of course, Athena didn't live with her, but that was another matter entirely. Annabeth shivered, puffs of air escaping her pink lips, as she muttered about the ridiculous Manhattan weather, running in the rain, the umbrella shielding her poorly due to her speed. Annabeth ran into a few New Yorkers, all who shot her dirty glares. But she did not apologize, for she had no reason to, in her mind. Her pride kept her from doing so. She ran down the subway entrance stairs not so gracefully, and whipped out her shiny Metro card, getting into a subway car as quick as possible. Inside, she kept her distance from other passengers, holding onto the steel bar above with her gloved hand. Her nose was upturned, giving off a very clear leave-me-alone-if-you-value-your-life vibe.

The subway car made a terrible sound as it stopped at the second stop. The third stop was Annabeth's stop. When the car didn't begin moving again once the passengers were dropped off, Annabeth glanced at her shiny delicate watch, annoyed. She was going to be late, damnit.

"Good morning, New Yorkers," a crackly voice came over the speaker. "Unfortunately, the subway car is having some problems. There is going to be a half an hour delay. We apologize for the inconvenience and will let you know any updates as soon as possible." Groans echoed through the car.

 _Half an hour? Half an hour?! HELL NO._

"If you'd like to get off at this stop instead of waiting, feel free to do so," the voice said over the speaker. Murmuring spread through the car as the door opened. Annabeth shoved past anyone else, stepping off first. She glanced down at her watch again. She was already running ten minutes behind schedule. At this rate, she'd be unbelievably late. Annabeth took pride in her punctuality. This was killing her.

God, she hated Mondays. Annabeth ran up the subway stairs, her heels clicking noisily. Once outside, she groaned again, on the verge of screaming out of pure annoyance at this cursed morning. Standing in the rain, hiding under her umbrella. The traffic looked unbearable, but it seemed as if that were her only option. Irritated and officially in a bitchier mood than usual, Annabeth hailed a cab. She slipped into the ugly yellow car once it pulled to the curb. The cab driver looked back at her. Annabeth folded her umbrella quickly, nose and cheeks pink from the coldness of the city. "Stone Records," she said, rattling off an address. The cab driver sped off as quickly as possible, getting caught in traffic occasionally. Now Annabeth was running twenty minutes behind schedule. God, she hated this.

Finally, _finally,_ he pulled up in front of the building, in front of work. She paid hurriedly, then ran, not even bothering with the umbrella, to get out of the downpour and into the building. Once inside, people greeted her. All sorts of famous names were signed here, at her mother's record company. Annabeth didn't bother nodding politely to those nearby for she was in a rush to get to her office. She was twenty-seven minutes late, leaving her meeting only three minutes away from starting. God, she was so so screwed. Annabeth practically sprinted- she moved fast for a young woman in heels- towards to elevator.

Outside the elevator, there is a crowd waiting. The whole crowd would probably just barely fit in the elevator. Annabeth groaned; how she hated physical contact. But it's not like she could get picky now, she was desperate to get up to the top floor for the meeting. Her mother would chastise her if she was late. Annabeth didn't want that to happen, so she bit her lip nervously, tapping the ground impatiently, waiting for the elevator to hit the ground floor. She watched the bright number lights as they counted down to the ground floor, the doors of the elevator opening with a warm _ding._

The crowd pushed into the elevator, slowly, of course. It was early on a Monday morning, nobody was in a rush to do anything, which of course only aggravated Annabeth more. Finally, it was just her and a young man she hadn't seen before. He had messy, unruly, dark black hair that fell into her eyes. Since she had never seen him before, Annabeth was even more irritated by his disheveled demeanor. Seeing as he wasn't carrying an instrument or anything, she figured he was probably just here for the internship position. Annabeth was freaking out. There was only room in the elevator for one more person. The young man saw her badge and his eyes got wide when he saw her name: _Annabeth Chase._ The owner's daughter.

Annabeth quickly shoved her way into that last spot on the car. He scowled. "You should've just asked," he muttered. "I would've let you go and I would've waited."

Annabeth, exhausted from her morning, snipped at him. "Yes, well I'm running late for a meeting. You aren't even working here. I have more priorities to get through so therefore I would get to be on the car and you wait," she snapped.

He stared at her, his scowl turning into a smirk. "Right. I don't work here."

Annabeth glared. "No you don't. And you probably never will," she sniffed in distaste, holding her chin high.

His smile that could only belong to a bad boy. The tattoos lining his arms and the messy look didn't exactly help her from assuming some things. Annabeth almost wondered why he was in this building at all. It wasn't like he was any good at anything anyways, right? Athena was sure to send him away. Annabeth decided not to dwell on it, for it wasn't her problem. He was just some idiotic young man anyways, most likely.

Just as the doors to the elevator were closing, the young man standing in the hallway still, Annabeth crammed into a full elevator, she looked up, meeting his gaze. She was caught off guard by his gentle sea green eyes, a shade she'd never seen before. Eyes so beautiful that it _almost_ made her regret making assumptions about him. Eyes that seemed as if they didn't belong to his tough demeanor because they were so beautifully gentle and kind. And deep, oh how they roared like the entire ocean was behind them, as if they held the meaning of life, as if they knew more than they let on.

Electricity seemed to tingle down her spine as their eyes locked for a second, cut off by the elevator doors shutting on both of their faces, the car speeding up levels. Annabeth brushed off the feeling as nothing, putting it in the back of her mind and forcing herself to forget about it. After all, she had a meeting to get to. Her mother was counting on her to sign this deal with their client in their meeting, that she was just barely going to make on time.

The elevator sound went off, and Annabeth stepped off at her level, rushing to her meeting. Annabeth took the black coffee from the break room quickly as she passed by. She took a sip of her black, rich coffee. Ah, coffee could solve any problem. Especially the case of Monday madness. Suddenly, the phone rang as she was setting down her things at her desk. Annabeth answered immediately.

"Annabeth," Athena said her voice harsh as always. Annabeth mentally groaned.

"Mother?"

"You know to refer to me as Ms. Stone," she hissed. "How many times must I remind you? Honestly, quit being so incompetent. Exercise that useless brain of yours."

"Yes, Ms. Stone," Annabeth answered, obediently, though she couldn't help but roll her eyes and though her tone had been a bit cold. How she despised her mother. Her mother despised her the same, though, so all was well.

"The meeting begins a few minutes," Athena chided. "Where are you?" she asked in a patronizing voice, yet still with a hiss of evil in it.

Annabeth's chest tightened in anger. Managing to keep her voice steady she replied calmly,"I'm coming in just one minute, Ms. Stone."

"Hurry," Athena demanded, not knowing nor caring if Annabeth was busy. Then, she hung up without another word. Annabeth scoffed and set the phone back down. Gathering her things needed for the meeting and calming herself down, she practically ran to the meeting room. Once inside, Annabeth sat at one end of the business table and set up contracts and other things. Soon enough, there was a knock on the door.

"Come in," she called.

In walked the dark haired, mischievous sea green eyed, tattooed young man from earlier at the elevator. Remembering the way their eyes had locked, Annabeth nearly spit out her coffee right then and there.

" _You're_ the new client?" she coughed, desperately trying to hide her incredulity. "Please, have a seat." She gestured to the chair in front of her. She hadn't seen him with any instruments earlier, but now he carried a guitar case with him. Her nose turned up in distaste. She'd just figured he was a new intern or something. She didn't want to have to work with him or worse- _talk_ to him. He had too many tattoos, looked too mischievous, too much trouble, and god, she just didn't want to affiliate with him.

His eyes sparkled all bad boy like and Annabeth scowled. She reached out to shake his hand, begrudgingly, as he sat down. It seemed like he had other ideas, for he kissed the back of her hand instead, smirking. Annabeth quickly drew her hand away, scowling.

"Elevator boy," she glowered.

"Ah, yes, prissy city girl," he replied, in the same tone, to mock her.

Annabeth scoffed. "You got a name?"

He tsked and shook his head. "Is this how you should be treating future artists at this wonderful company. Maybe I should report you," he pretended to think about it. "Then again, it's not exactly your fault for acting so rude. You're just trying to build defenses in hope that I won't remember you drooling over me before the elevator doors closed." The smirk only grew.

"Me? Drooling over _you?_ " she asked, snorting. "Please. In your dreams, you delusional buffoon."

"Percy Jackson," he said all of a sudden, ignoring her insults, with a smirk on his face that could make any girl's knees weak.

"Excuse me?"

"My name," he clarified,"is Percy Jackson."

 **A/N: Don't forget to review. Let me know if you think it's going too fast or too slow. I appreciate constructive criticism.**


	2. Business Relationships

**A/N: First reviews! Lol, I'm such a noob. First reviews always get me excited. Anyways, hope you enjoy.**

 **Disclaimer: All rights to Uncle Rick. Unfortunately, I only own the plot.**

 _Percy Jackson._ Annabeth blinked, pushing past his little outburst, though she did kind of like the way his name rolled off his tongue. "Yes, well, Jackson, if you could just sign this so I won't have to talk to your insufferable self anymore, that'd be great," she said, pushing the contract and pen towards him.

Percy laughed, lightly. " _Insufferable?_ How you dismiss our friendship, Chase," he clicked his tongue in false distaste, teasing her with another mischievous glint in his eyes.

" _Friendship?_ " Annabeth laughed with a faux sweet smile. "Your friendships must be interesting, Jackson."

Percy winked suggestively. "Yes, they are." Annabeth scowled. Percy was turning out exactly as she'd predicted- a no-good, fuckboy, a man-whore. A small part of her told her not to judge him so quickly, especially considering the fact that she didn't even know him- _not_ that she wanted to. However, her prideful, I'm-always-right side squashed that thought just as fast as it'd come. Annabeth wasn't judging, no no, she was making an educational conclusion after carefully evaluating the infuriating young man sitting in front of her.

Percy stared at the papers put before him, not making an attempt to sign them at all. Annabeth tapped her perfectly manicured, nude nail polish painted nails against the table, impatiently. When he still didn't sign them, she threw her hands up in exasperation.

"Well, for heaven's sake, I haven't got all day!" she burst.

Percy smirked up at her and she could then see it'd been his plan to piss her off by not signing in the whole time. Annabeth narrowed her eyes at him.

"Need assistance in finding the signing line, Jackson?" Annabeth asked in a patronizing voice.

"No," Percy smiled to himself in that infuriating little smirk-smile thing as he signed the papers, very _very_ slowly, watching Annabeth out of the corner of his eye. Annabeth's scowl deepened. _Who did that little shit think he was?!_

"Are we done here now?" Annabeth asked after he finally signed the whole packet in the places needed. She filed the paper away, making a note to make copies later.

"Keen to get rid of me, I see," Percy laughed lightly.

"I have another meeting to get to," Annabeth said in a no-nonsense tone. "If you like, I can fetch my assistant to show you around to your new recording booth. You can begin to personalize your area," she said with a scrunch of her nose," and get settled in."

"I'd much rather talk to you, Chase," Percy decided, with a slight cock of his head. "You intrigue me."

"I told you," Annabeth persisted, gritting her teeth. "I have a meeting."

Percy nodded. "Right. Escort me to the elevator, at least, then?" Annabeth nearly protested again, but then realized it'd only take longer to get rid of him if she did. Muttering things under her breath, Annabeth stood. She began to walk to the door and Percy followed after her, asking irritating questions. "How old are you?" he asked first.

"Twenty-two," Annabeth answered, stiffly.

"Uh huh. Me too," he smirked. Annabeth scowled once again. "What's your favorite color?"

"Grey," she said, emotionless.

"Ughhh, you're so boring!" Percy complained. "I like blue," he stated, proudly.

Annabeth rolled her eyes as she punched the elevator button and waited for the car to come. "I don't base my favorites off of what pleases you, Jackson," she snapped."

"Ooh, feisty," Percy teased. Annabeth glared at him so he shut up because her gaze was somewhat frightening. "When's your meeting?" At this, Annabeth glanced down at her silver watch as the doors slid open before them.

"In five minutes," Annabeth muttered, mostly to herself. "Guess I'll just ride with you, then," she said, louder this time so he could hear. "Your studio is on the same floor as this meeting room."

Percy smirked suddenly and Annabeth's blood ran cold. _Oh crap, what did she say now._

"Ride with me? Or ride me?" he smirked more. "Because I prefer the latter."

"You are absolutely disgusting," she remarked, glowering at him, though a small embarrassed blush had appeared on her cheeks.

"I do try, Chase," he snorted, stepping into the elevator after Annabeth. Annabeth didn't say anything in response, choosing to ignore his idiotic self. Percy poked her after some time.

"Chase," he poked her arm. "Chase." Annabeth continued ignoring him. "Why are you ignoring meeeee?" he whined. Annabeth remained silent.

Then, Percy did the most unexpected thing she would've imagine. He reached forward and hit the stop elevator button. The elevator shuddered to a stop.

* * *

"Why did you do that?!" she shrieked, horrified.

"You wouldn't talk to me," Percy shrugged, acting innocent, but the smirk on his face told otherwise.

"I'm going to be late for the meeting! Or worse, miss it completely!" Annabeth panicked, banging on the elevator doors desperately. Percy watched, amused, leaning back coolly against the side of the elevator. Annabeth pressed the send help button multiple times, frantically trying to get the elevator to work again. A frenzied Annabeth tried to call someone.

"No signal,"she heard Percy singsong from behind her. "They'll be here in an hour or two." With her blonde curls flying everywhere and her eyes cold and narrowed at him, Percy nearly shuddered. Annabeth could be downright terrifying when she wanted to.

" _You_ ," she growled, quickly approaching him. Percy was backed into the wall, Annabeth's finger jabbing harshly into his chest. "How _dare_ you?! Ms. Stone will murder me now, thanks to you!"Annabeth yelled, furious.

Percy continued to smirk obnoxiously at her the whole time. "Calm down, princess."

"Don't call me princess," she snapped. "You idiot! You fucking moronic douche bag! You haven't got a-"

"We don't use words like that here," Percy interrupted, clicking his tongue lightly. "No cursing in a workplace," he hummed. Her glare darkened beyond anything he'd ever seen. And in some weird way, it turned him on. Okay, okay, he could admit it. Annabeth was hot- really _really_ fucking hot.

"Listen here, you piece of-" Annabeth began, but was cut off by Percy's sudden, graceful movement. He quickly flipped her over so she was pressed against the wall and he was towering over, smirking still. Her breath caught in her throat and for a second, she paused in her rant, but then her rant quickly started up again, anger worse than before. "Get off me!" she screamed. "You don't fucking touch me! Get out of my face, you foolish jerk!" She began to slap his hands until he let go, where she then smoothed down her work clothes, huffing at him.

"You better make this up to me," she barked, crossing her arms tightly across her chest. Percy simply rolled his eyes while Annabeth checked her watch again, which only aggravated her more. "By the time we get out of here, not only will the meeting be over, but work for today will be almost over!" she groaned, frustrated.

"How about I take you out for coffee? My treat," Percy offered, eyes glittering. She glared.

"Like I want to spend more time with you." But... coffee was awfully tempting. After the day she was having, coffee would be so nice...

"I'll even bring you coffee to work tomorrow," he tried to tempt her.

"Deal," Annabeth agreed, quickly. Now... all she had to worry about was getting out of here for coffee and facing her most likely to be angry, mother. This was going to be hell, she knew.

"I still can't believe you though. I'm not going to forget this," Annabeth warned.

"I would expect nothing less of you, Chase," Percy laughed to himself. "So... while we're here..." Annabeth groaned.

"What? What do you want from me?"

His eyes sparkled and Annabeth's mood immediately soured, understanding his implication. "Leave me alone. I'm not talking to you until I get my coffee." And sure enough, true to her word, she ignored him until they were released from that cramped elevator, standing as far as possible from Percy. No matter how hard he tried, Annabeth was too stubborn and said nothing. Not until hours later when she was seated across from him in a nice coffee shop she visited daily near her workplace. And of course, Annabeth, who was perfectly content with ignoring him for the rest of their lives, waited for him to start the conversation. Why on earth would _she_ begin talking to him? Gods, no.

"So," Percy began, tone naturally flirtatious. "Are you known for holding grudges, Chase?" he questioned. "Because I really don't want that little elevator escapade to get in the way of our relationship," his eyes sparkled charmingly and it was clear he as putting a little effort into flirting once more, now that Annabeth was screaming at him, red-faced, in a tiny, cramped elevator. Now _that_ had certainly been a joy ride.

Annabeth snorted in a the least ladylike manner into her coffee cup. " _Relationship_?" She took another sip of her coffee, faking amusement. "In your dreams, Jackson."

"No need to get yourself all worked up," he smirked. "A business relationship," he smoothly corrected. "After all, you'll be managing my music won't you?" His eyes had one clear message: he'd cornered her now, hadn't he?

 _Damn you, Jackson,_ Annabeth couldn't help thinking to herself. "Fine. A _business relationship_ ," her eyes narrowed at him, as if warning him. "That's all it's ever going to be, Jackson. No more, no less," Annabeth declared. Percy couldn't help but smirk.

"If it wasn't a business relationship, then what would it be, Chase? I seem lost. I thought we were only business partners. I never thought of any othe type of relationship..." Percy feigned innocence, though his smirk clearly said otherwise.

"I'm warning you, Jackson. Don't mess with me or you'll be crying to your mommy before you receive your first paycheck," Annabeth hissed.

"Ooh, feisty. Take a chill pill, princess."

"And _DO NOT_ call me princess!" Annabeth huffed.

Percy wasn't going to lie. Even mad, Annabeth was a goddammit goddess. Of course, he'd never admit that, but still, it was nice to think about. To himself, and only himself. Gotta love a girl who can hand you your own ass, ain't that right? Bark and bite. That's all Percy saw when he saw Annabeth, which made it _that_ much more amusing to tick her off.

"Businesses relationship, only. Got it?" she snapped.

Percy grinned charmingly. "I'll make you eat those words, Chase." Annabeth had never rolled her eyes harder.

"I've been told I'm pretty stubborn," she insisted, finishing up her coffee.

"And I except my coffee in my office before I get to work." Percy had been done for a while and he simply nodded slightly to the last comment. "And let's get one thing straight, Jackson, I _never lose._ " Her eyes were challenging, just like his. Annabeth picked up shiny black purse and curled it around her wrist and she disposed of her empty coffee cup. Annabeth , with a triumphant smirk, walked out the door, looking more badass than ever, her heels clicking against the floor.

Percy simply smirked to himself. "Of course, Chase. I'd expect nothing less," he muttered under his breath, as he watched her walk away. He soon stood up, disposed of his own empty cup, and left, stuffing his hands into his coat pockets to keep warm from the harsh, New York cold. But despite the uncomfortable weather, he found he had a tiny smile on his face. The whole way home.

 **A/N: I hope you enjoyed it. Don't forget to review!**


	3. Demon With Eight Eyes

**A/N: Hope you like it.**

 **Disclaimer: All rights to Senpai Riordan. I only own the lame plot XD**

"Annabeth," Athena's sharp tone cut through the phone, making Annabeth wince on the other end. "Meet me in my office in precisely two minutes," she said, sternly. "Don't be late. A click rang through Annabeth's ears signifying that Athena had hung up. Angrily muttering under her breath, Annabeth stood up, pushing her swivel chair into her desk and walked out of her glass office, going up to her mother's. The whole way up she pondered over why she was being called. Perhaps their was another new client? Just the thought of it made her grit her teeth. Perseus freakin Jackson had ruined the whole excitement of having new clients for her. Grumbling, she took a deep breath to keep her from snapping at Athena and rapped her soft knuckles on the big office door.

"It's open," Athena's criticizing voice echoed out to Annabeth. Annabeth opened the door, listening to the soft creaking as it swung open wide. "Shut it after you," Athena ordered. Annabeth rolled her eyes and shut it quietly, holding the coffee Percy had brought her in the morning in her hand. Percy had promised coffee, after all. She had been surprised and oddly pleased to see him pull through with his deal. She sipped it, tapping her toe on the ground impatiently.

Athena pulled out a vanilla folder and plopped it on the end of her desk in front of Annabeth. Athena looked angry, her eyes burning, furiously. Annabeth was left to wonder what she'd done. Swiftly, Annabeth picked up the folder, grasping it between her slim fingers. She set her coffee down on the desk on top of a coaster. Both her and her mother had a pet peeve for those who did not use a coaster and left horrific ring stains on furniture. With her left hand, she flipped open the folder and was unable to disguise her surprise. Annabeth flipped through the pictures in the folder. She knew the Jackson boy was a super big deal, even for a new artist and that there were lots of people following him. It was a big deal for Stone Records, for Percy Jackson brought so much positive publicity to their business, even though their business was already one of the most famous record deal companies. But she hadn't been counting on paparazzi on her too.

"What are these?" Annabeth demanded, still flipping through them all. There were multiple pictures of her and Perseus at the coffee shop. And they way they'd taken the pictures... it made Annabeth's and his relationship look almost... intimate.

"Why don't I ask you?" Athena growled. " _What are these, Annabeth?"_

"It's not like that!" Annabeth declared.

"It sure looks like it is," Athena snapped. "And Annabeth, ladies do not raise their voice," she said, sternly. Annabeth opened her mouth to explain, but Athena cut her off. "Missing the meeting yesterday and having a date with a client? A big client, at that?" her words were supposed to be understanding, but her tone ruined it. Annabeth opened her mouth again, to protest, but- "Don't let it happen again," Athena instructed. "Now. He's downstairs recording. Get down their and start talking about marketing his new upcoming album as soon as he's finished." Athena glanced at her watch. "He should be finishing up about now." When Annabeth didn't move at first, due to her being stunned, Athena got angrier and was about to say something, when Annabeth picked up her coffee and walked out of there briskly, before her mother could begin lecturing her again. Like hell Annabeth was going to stand there and be chastised again.

Annabeth made her way downstairs, throwing her now empty coffee out in a nearby trash can on her way.

She walked into the recording room, just to hear the end of the editor's sentence, who was telling Percy he'd done a good job. When Annabeth entered the room, the editor left, taking the flash drive with him, leaving her and Percy alone. The editor shut the door on the way out. Percy smirked when he saw Annabeth and took of his headphones, getting out of the recording booth and into the dark room.

"Chase," he greeted her with his smirk that made girls fawn over him in seconds. He gave her a small polite nod. Annabeth did no such thing, nor smiled even for that matter.

"Jackson," she replied, stiffly. "I've come to discuss your upcoming album. We have got to start marketing." Annabeth sat down on a nice, modern black couch and crossed her ankles, daintily. Percy sat on the couch across from her, with a lazy smile on his face. Annabeth frowned.

"A'ight," he shrugged. "I'm cool with that." Annabeth's eye twitched at his demeanor, which made Percy crack a smile. Annabeth tried not to let him get under her skin and instead pulled out her laptop and set it on the table in front of her. She flipped open the screen and was shocked, her heart pounding faster immediately. Annabeth seized up in terror, shooting backwards, her dainty hand flying over her mouth, muffling her horrified, blood curdling scream. Annabeth continued to scream and Percy shot up, alarmed to look at what she was looking at.

On the keyboard was a large eight-eyed creature from the pits of hell. A spider. Percy would've laughed except Annabeth was so terrified that Percy couldn't find it in him to laugh. He hastily swept it off her keyboard and killed it. Only then did Annabeth stop screaming.

A silence swept through the room, Annabeth staring at Percy, wide-eyed and Percy staring back. Never in his life had he ever met someone so afraid of spiders. Finally, Percy broke the deafening silence, a small smile breaking out on his face, hints of dimples showing.

"It was just a spider," he stifled a laugh. "Spiders are so small," he shook his head at her, smirking smugly.

"So are grenades," she snapped. "I don't care what you say, it will kill me. Don't argue," Annabeth's face was flushed red with embarrassment. Percy snickered.

"Don't you have any fears?" Annabeth asked, clearly frustrated, eyes blazing angrily.

His eyes lingered with amusement as his dark orbs scanned her body up and down, only to bore through her with his gaze. Percy leaned closer to her. "Of course, Chase. They're just less conventional than most," he whispered huskily, lips brushing against her ear. This caused shivers to run down her spine but she didn't allow him the satisfaction of seeing her squirm at a simple gesture like that. She held in the tingle and let out a tiny puff of breath to release the tension growing inside her. Percy pulled away from her ear and smirked when she leaned in towards him slightly, her body betraying her. At his smug smirk, she scowled and forced herself to jerk back from him as if he were rotting trash. She crossed her tan arms over her chest and held her chin up high.

His smirk did not dim, so she scoffed lightly, though not necessarily unkindly. "Wipe that stupid look off your face, you look ridiculous," Annabeth muttered. At that, his smirk only grew. Without warning and with the utmost gracefulness, he reached out and pulled her flush against him in one swift motion. Her face was suddenly dusted a light pink and her hands had landed on his chest in an intimate position as an attempt to steady herself. His hands were warm and strong on her hips and held her up.

"Who looks ridiculous now?" Percy retorted, referring to her blushing face. A scowl formed on her lips, but the blush didn't disappear. Defiantly, Annabeth shoved him off her, her scowl deepening. She couldn't deny that she'd perhaps been in his arms for too long and she couldn't deny that Percy was certainly attractive with his dark black hair and sea green eyes, but it wasn't like she'd ever admit that out loud. _Gag._ No, never.

"Touch me again, and next time we're alone you'll see just what I can do," Annabeth snarled.

"I'm sure I'll enjoy anything we do when we're alone," Percy said cheekily, winking suggestively. Annabeth's face flushed darker in anger. She slammed her laptop screen shut, packing it back in her bag.

"Where are you going, Chase?" Percy asked, with a light laugh. "I was only kidding, calm down." Annabeth clenched her jaw, packing up her stuff. "C'mon, we still have to discuss the marketing of my new album." Annabeth shouldered her bag and glared at him. "What. You're not going to thank me for being your hero?" Percy teased.

Her eyes narrowed at him. "You are an utterly repulsive and ignorant little boy who I cannot stand to be in the same room in at the moment, for otherwise I'll be tempted to whup your arrogant ass. You're a womanizing pig and I don't wish to look at your face anymore, much less have a civilized discussion with. If you want to flirt with someone, flirt with your fellow celebrities. I'm sure they'll be happy to inform you of your attractiveness and how utterly incredible you are," Annabeth snapped, sarcastically. "But you, Jackson, are barking up the wrong tree at the moment. If you love yourself so much, why don't you marry yourself? Only then will you be satisfied you buffoon-like, oaf. We can do the marketing strategies later, when you've gained more respect for people other than yourself, you egoistical asshole. I'm leaving now. Or hopefully, if I'm gone long enough, we'll never have to see each other again," she said, sassily, as she walked out on him, slamming the door behind him.

Percy stared at the closed door as she left for Piper's Interior Design business. It was almost her lunch break anyways. She desperately needed to complain to someone about her infuriating client. A slow smirk spread across Percy's face. Oh, how he loved riling up Annabeth. Laughing quietly to himself, he left the room, going out to eat grab some lunch for himself with a few of his fellow artists. He was fully prepared to immense himself in this bickering game between him and Annabeth. Oh, this would be fun. Percy decided that he liked her and getting under her skin was fun as he threw on his sunglasses and hoodie. He called a cab and tried to avoid as many paparazzi as possible as he made his way to a restaurant downtown.

 **A/N: Ahh! It's short, I'm sorry! I just had a lot on my plate this weekend. I'll try to make a bigger chapter next chapter to make up for it. Sorry again!**


	4. Being Fake

**A/N: Hey guys. I'm really really fucking sorry for taking so long to update; life just likes to kick my ass haha. I made this chapter extra long to make up for my absence. Also FYI there is mention of a few... adult themes in this chapter because Percy's a womanizer so yeah. Nothing you wouldn't expect. It's not why this story is rated M, but just a warning. Nothing graphic, though. I'm not particularly fond of writing lemon o.o lol so I just hinted at it, as I normally would. Also, I realize Thalia and Piper should be Annabeth's best friends, not Calypso and Piper. But I was planning of using Thalia in a different way. I'm starting to delve deeper into Percy's thoughts now. I wanted a new dimension of him explained. Hope you like the chapter.**

 **Disclaimer: Uncle Rick owns all. I'm jus** **t a psychotic fangirl haha.**

Annabeth approached the large glass skyscraper; she wasn't the only rich little girl. Sure, her mother had a lot of money, but Piper's father was just as loaded. They were all about image. They did modeling for magazines, covers (even record covers), interior design for music videos, all sorts of stuff. Piper tended to stick in the interior business large portion of the chic building. She claimed she'd rather not stand around near prissy girls and boys who always had sticks up their asses, their pointy fake faces tilted towards the ceiling as if they were better than everybody else. According to Piper, one of Annabeth's best friends, the interior design area was filled with much more down-to-earth people. Piper was already hanging out with their other best friend, Calypso, when Annabeth stormed in, still livid from her uncivilized conversation with Perseus Jackson.

Calypso was laughing as finished pinning up a dress for Piper. Calypso was the most talented sewer, gardener... nobody could reach her level. But she was so modest and sweet that everybody loved her. The crease on Annabeth's forehead immediately lessened at the sight of Piper and Calypso. Piper was setting up a set for a photo shoot later while Calypso sat at the sidelines, bright smiles on both their faces. Music was blasting out of a speaker on Piper's desk and Calypso was singing under her breath. When Annabeth walked in and sat down next to Calypso, Calypso and Piper's faces burst into wide grins. Calypso wrapped Annabeth in a comforting hug and Piper beamed at her.

"Hey, Beth. What's up?" Piper asked from the white set.

"Girls lunch out. Now," Annabeth groaned.

Piper's eyebrows scrunched up. "Work that bad, huh?"

"I have a new client," Annabeth announced with another groan. Calypso frowned and patted Annabeth's arm sympathetically. "And he's a complete douche," Annabeth finished. Piper pursed her lips and stood from her work while Calypso set the red, silky dress in her hands down next to the sewing materials.

"Okay, I'll bite. Who are they?" Piper finally asked.

Annabeth both stared at their expectant faces. "Perseus fucking Jackson," she declared, with a huff of frustration.

Before long, all three girls were sitting at a diner, three strawberry milkshakes in front of them along with three burgers, each one tailored to the unique traits of each girl, and three sides of fries. Piper was dipping her fries into her milkshake, like the quirky girl she was. Annabeth was currently trying to eat a burger in the most proper way and Calypso was sipping on her milkshake, fries untouched so far. "Let it out, honey," Piper finally said, dipping yet another victimized fried potato slice in the pink liquid. Annabeth opened her mouth and began to talk.

* * *

Percy was sitting in the recording booth, eating fries out of a cardboard box. He'd dropped off food for other artists and came to sit in the booth where the silence would drive any other man mad, but brought him peace. He rolled his eyes at how many salads he'd had to order for some of the female artists who refused to eat like a normal human being. He hated what media did to people. Just like how he hated what fame did people; the fries suddenly tasted bitter and not as warm as they were two seconds ago. Percy just wanted to feel like he was home again, eating blue cookies with his mother smiling down at him. How Percy longed to be three again, safe, loved, home... he snapped out of memories, clenching his jaw. His heart was colder now, he shouldn't wish for that anymore. He didn't need any of that anymore, no no. Percy felt strong now. Besides, she was gone. There was nothing he could do about it and he was tired out hurting. Losing his appetite, Percy stood up and walked over to the instruments, picking it up and fiddling with it.

Music helped him escape his past.

Music could help him forget.

And maybe, just _maybe_ , he wouldn't feel anymore.

* * *

Piper and Calypso listened carefully, the three of them leisurely finishing up their meal. It seemed like it'd been forever since Annabeth had taken some time for herself and ate calmly. Not trying to speed through it, not trying to rush back to work, but simply relaxing with her girlfriends.

"I'm sure he's not that bad," Calypso suggested after Annabeth's long rant about Percy Jackson. Annabeth shot her a glare.

"Not that bad? _Not that bad?_ " she raised her voice. "He's the spawn of demons!" Annabeth exclaimed, taking a sip of her strawberry milkshake.

Calypso laughed at this. "You're just exaggerating. You don't even know him," she pointed out, wisely. Annabeth scowled, knowing Calypso was right but refusing to admit it due to her own pride.

"Besides, it's Percy freakin' Jackson!" Piper squealed. Piper wanted so badly to meet him; she was another one of his fangirls. "He can't be a demon spawn!" she gasped. "NOT WITH THE VOICE OF AN ANGEL!"

"Piper, calm down," Annabeth blinked, knowing very well that Piper was about to have like a fangirl spasm or something if she didn't calm down soon.

"You're soooo lucky! Can I meet him? Can I? PLEASSEEEE BETHHH," Piper begged. Calypso watched this all with amusement.

"No way!" Annabeth laughed, which quickly turned into a scowl. "He'll get even more cocky, if that's even possible, if he knows one of my BFFs is his fangirl. God no. Just kill me now." Calypso giggled at Annabeth's frustration, though not unkindly.

The three of them finished up their food, topic of conversation slowly shifting away from the legendary, though he was a newer artist, Percy Jackson to Piper's boyfriend, Jason Grace, then onto Calypso's work. They caught up each other on their lives and then split into their three separate ways, each taking different modes of transportation. Piper walked since Tristan McLean's building was a walking distance from here. Calypso took the subway since she needed to go a further distance, and Annabeth simply took a cab back to Stone Records. She drowned herself in work, like usual.

* * *

Percy had been recording for so long, he was exhausted. It was past his usual dinnertime, meaning he'd been so caught up in pushing his emotions away, he hadn't even realized the way time flew. He sipped some cold water to ease his raw throat and pulled a flash drive out where he'd transferred all his completed songs for the upcoming album. Summoning the courage to approach an angry Annabeth just to hand her the flash drive, he made his way over to the elevator where he'd gotten stuck in the elevator with her just the other day. He sighed to himself as the elevator doors slid closed without a sound. He didn't meet his own eye in the silver reflections of himself that surrounded him in the large, empty elevator.

Perseus stepped out when a small _ding_ went off, signifying that he'd reached his destination. Percy lifted his chin slightly; he was a master of forced confidence. Nobody could peek into his true thoughts, nobody could pry into his mind. He built up walls like it was nobody's business. Never in his life had he met anyone who knew he was lying to them, lying to himself, lying to everyone. Lying to the gods? No. The gods weren't even real, karma wasn't real, nothing was real. Not anymore.

Percy rapped his knuckles on the glass door to Annabeth's grand office. Not as grand as Athena's of course, but beautiful all the same. For some reason, he couldn't help that it didn't suit her. Not because it was large and glamorous, but because it was so... minimalist. It felt more like a reflection of Athena's office, the office he'd seen first when discussing a record deal with Ms. Stone herself. Annabeth's office was so plain, so unlike her. To Percy, he thought of Annabeth more colorful. Sure, those colors were full of a lot of anger, sass, and sarcasm, but it wasn't like himself in some ways. Still, he just had a nagging feeling like she didn't belong in this white hell of an office. There was only a few splashes of color that laid in the shades of green, for plants. Everything else was white with 'bursts' of 'exciting' blacks and greys. Percy found himself cringing when he knocked on her door.

Annabeth's business, colder voice echoed out to his hear, thought her voice had a hint of confusion in it. She probably hadn't been expecting anyone because her assistant hadn't let her know about Percy's arrival. Probably because Percy hadn't bothered to make an appointment; this would only take a couple minutes. "Come in."

Percy walked in, the door silent, no creaking, but he felt like an intruder all the same. Annabeth looked up and a little flash of surprise fell across her face, but in a second she masked her surprise, disguising it with her usual stern, business-like face. "I wasn't expecting you," was all she said, looking up at him with those stormy grey eyes. Percy couldn't help but notice how her eyes were just like Athena's. Maybe their faces were different, maybe their hair was different, but the way they held themselves and their eyes... they were so similar it was almost intimidating. Percy gazed at her, snapping out of it when he realized he'd been staring. Annabeth looked as if she hadn't noticed. Perhaps she hadn't. What was going on under those pretty blonde curls in that head of her? What was she thinking? Annabeth intrigued him like no other girl, save, no other _person_ he'd ever met. "Well. What did you want?" Annabeth finally asked, clearly growing impatient. "I'm not getting any younger here, Jackson." She crossed her arms over her chest, pursing her lips.

Percy noticed her untouched dinner- Subway, sitting on her desk. Somehow the thought of perfect, poised Annabeth Chase eating a sub from Subway made a small smile form on Percy's face.

"What's so funny?" she inquired, taking note of the faint curve on his lips, gracing his features.

"Nothing," Percy answered, the smile fading out just as quickly as it had formed. Annabeth shot him a pointed look. "I just- you still haven't ate dinner yet? It's nearly 11." She glanced down at her sub.

"Guess it just slipped my mind," she mumbled, still staring at the food as if it held the meaning to life. Of course, that would be ridiculous. But it was just the way she looked at it all empty that made Percy almost offer to stay with her, offer some company. She seemed so... empty to him. Once again, not unlike him, but he felt obligated to be there. He didn't know why, but he also had enough sense to know he was being ridiculous. Before he could do anything rash like sit down next to her and connect with her on a spiritual level or some bullshit like that, he fished the flash drive out of his pocket and held it out to her. Annabeth tore her gaze away from the sub and stared at the flash drive. Realizing, suddenly, how she'd kind of gotten lost in thought, Annabeth abruptly cleared her throat and took the flash drive him in her firm grip.

"What's this?" she asked, plugging it into her laptop, almost automatically. Her gaze met his, their eyes locking for just a second, just like his first day right before the elevator doors had closed. The thought brought goosebumps to his back.

"The latest album," he replied, voice husky due to the time of night. But Percy wasn't planning of ending his night here. No, not yet. He needed a remedy, like memory loss, like ecstasy. Or... rather false ecstasy.

"Oh," was all she said and raked his face with her eyes, like she was recalculating, reevaluating him. The tiniest bit of respect formed for him in her ice cold heart. This reflected Percy's work ethic and that made her a bit pleased. "Right. I'll take a look at it," she nodded. "Is that all, Jackson?"

 _No. Why don't I keep you company? Why don't we become friends? I could use a friend like you. You seem to understand._ Percy brushed away his seemingly delirious thoughts, blaming it on the time of day. Or rather, time of night. "Yeah, that's all. I'll leave you alone now. Better eat," he advised, before spinning on his heels and strolling out of there. Rubbing his temples, Percy licked his lips. He wanted a drink, he needed a drink. But Perseus didn't drink, not anymore. For personal reasons. Still, he needed his release. He was thirsty for release, for relief.

Deciding to still go clubbing, Percy grabbed his phone and called an Uber. He'd stay sober, like he always did. But his actions wouldn't change. The Uber pulled up shortly and he slid across the smooth leather seats without a hint of hesitation.

* * *

Annabeth decided not to dwell on his distressed behavior. Of course she could see right through him. Percy may have been the king of forced confidence, but Annabeth was the goddess of it. Shrugging the feeling off, she unwrapped the sub, heeding Percy's words and wolfed down the food, barely tasting it. She drowned herself in work as she ate. Eating wasn't a luxury to her, it was a necessity, an irritating one at that, and nothing more.

* * *

The bass beated through his very core, his very soul. This place was full of his fellow celebrities, so Percy didn't have a problem with celebrities. But Percy didn't belong to a city, like other celebrities, he didn't belong to a home, to a girl, to a place, to a state of mind. He was a wild spirit, spontaneous, reckless. Consequences didn't apply to him, he didn't need a conscience. Percy made his way out to the bar, ignoring the dance floor. He didn't drink anything, but sat there, watching, his sea green eyes dull. They hadn't bright since before... since before _her_ death. No. He swallowed harshly. He was here to forget. Percy couldn't dwell on that, not tonight. It was enough to drive a grown man mad. So he did what he was born to do: get lost in the music, in the night, in the feeling. The club was full of all sorts of sweaty Hollywood 'gods' and 'goddesses'.

Percy may have been the new guy, but he had became popular quickly. There was something about the way Percy looked at people; it drew you in. Those sea green eyes... dark, cold, and yet... almost understanding. It drove girls, and some guys, nuts. He looked at you like he didn't care, but he did care all at the same time. He constantly looked like a open book, yet at the same time, like he was hiding all the secrets and truths of the world. Perseus Jackson was a walking, breathing, living contradiction. Selfish, but generous, harsh, yet gentle, lonely, but also surrounded by so many, shallow, but sensitive and soulful, rude, yet kind, devil... but also an angel. There was just something away he held himself. Maybe it was forced confidence, maybe it was something else that you'd never know. But it was definitely there. It's just... nobody knew what _it_ was.

It didn't take long before a silky black haired girl was pressed up against him. Percy could smell the slightest trace of alcohol on her breath. Percy didn't care, however. He wasn't the type of guy to take advantage of drunk girls, but it was quite obvious she wasn't drunk, not even tipsy. Just her regular slutty self. To Percy, she was like the others. Straightened hair, slutty, revealing clothes, blindingly white smiles, face coated in pounds of makeup, ready to have fun. Or, in Percy's mind, ready to help him forget. Percy never remembered their names. Half the time, he didn't even bother to get to know them. Tonight, though, he couldn't help but compare them to Annabeth. A blonde girl joined the black haired one in pressing against Percy. Her smile was just as fake as the first bitch. All Percy could focus on was how the blonde girl's hair was too platinum and dyed to be like Annabeth's natural hair color. How both girls' hair weren't naturally curled, but forcibly straightened. Both giggled like identical minions, but Percy could care less. He wasn't picky when he tried to forget.

A few words were traded between the three of them. The lights were bright in the club and faded out of sight as Percy sat in an Uber, the women surrounding him. They were up in one of the girls' before anybody could get a firm grip on what was happening. Percy was completely sober, both girls were a tiny tipsy now, but not drunk, nor not in control of what they were doing. Those Hollywood girls would eat up any of the lies Percy told them. He was fake, like them, but maybe in a different way.

* * *

Annabeth dozed off after some time. Not on purpose, but she was so, so very tired. And sleep was so tempting... her head fell into her arms onto her ivory desk. Annabeth fought to stay awake, but...Sleep overcame her and the night stole her breath as she swiftly landed into a dark, dreamless sleep.

* * *

It was a clash of sweat, teeth, clothes. Percy had made sure the lights were off before it happened. Percy felt nothing, like usual. He was a robot, he didn't feel anymore. No electricity, no feelings, nothing at all; they meant nothing to him. They were basic bitches and were merely his therapists. They were both passed out now, on the bed. He swiftly dressed himself, crawling out of bed in the middle of the night. He found his way out, without leaving a note, without anything. They were just another one night stand.

Percy's home wasn't really his home anymore, however; it was Gabe's home. He'd be popular enough soon, though. Soon he could buy his own place, his own mansion. He was still a newbie in this fame industry, but it didn't affect him. He'd already been affected plenty of times for it to not change him, to not hurt him anymore. He, however, was immune to it all. Percy cringed at the smell of alcohol in the broken-down apartment. He relaxed slightly at the sound of Gabe's snoring and tiptoed up to the bathroom. Quietly, he brushed his teeth, washing the taste of the girls' alcohol out of his mouth. Of course the taste just had to transfer from their lips to his. The taste of it made him cringe more.

Stripping himself of his clothes, he climbed in and took a warm shower. Percy flinched when he saw his bare reflection in the mirror before getting in. He washed as fast as possible and kept his gaze from himself until he was fully dressed again; he didn't want to see _them_. Exhausted, Percy made his way to his bedroom, locked the door, and collapsed in his bed after setting an alarm for five am. He always woke up before Gabe. Giving into the temptation, his eyes fluttered shut and Percy dozed off.

 **A/N: Review. Or don't, ya know, whatever works for you. :P I don't wanna be _that_ bitch haha.**


	5. Fangirls and Folders

**A/N: Yo. Didn't mean for the upload to take this long. We had the holidays and all that junk, so even though I was on a break from school, I didn't get to post. Sorry about that. Anyways, without further ado, here it is. Enjoy.**

 **Disclaimer: All rights to Uncle Rick. Just a fangirl doin' her thing.**

Piper was currently blabbing Annabeth's ear off as Annabeth set her morning coffee down on her desk. Based off the look on Piper's face, she looked as she might explode- being in the same building as Percy Jackson and all.

"I want to meet him sooo baddddd," Piper grinned, giddy. Annabeth rolled her eyes.

"You realize that this building is enormous and the chances of you running into him are slim," Annabeth retorted. "Besides, I don't think Jackson would take being attacked by a creepy, vicious fangirl all too well," she said sassily. Now it was Piper's turn to roll her eyes.

"It's not like I'm going to _tackle_ him. I just want to say 'hi' and maybe get an autograph or something," Piper shrugged, acting nonchalant. But both Annabeth and her knew that should Piper come into contact with Perseus Jackson, the nonchalant facade will fade away real quick. Annabeth snorted, amused.

"With you, it's hard to tell," Annabeth smirked, stepping into the elevator, Piper on her trail. Piper had some free time that day and was spending an hour at Annabeth's building before heading on over to her own workplace. Piper rolled her eyes, muttering a couple choice words under her breath, much to Annabeth's amusement. Of course Annabeth didn't care whether or not Piper squealed or tackled Jackson. What really worried her was that Jackson would realize Piper was one of Annabeth's best friends and that Piper was a major fangirl. Annabeth would never be able to live that down. And oh, how Jackson's already full ego would inflate. No, no. Best for Piper and Jackson to never meet. Annabeth shuddered at the thought of Piper fawning over Percy while he smirked at her with that mischievous, haughty, terrible, terrible smirk...

Annabeth knew the stats, yet Annabeth forgot to take into consideration one thing- her own rotten luck. Much to Annabeth's dismay, they ran into the one person she didn't want them to.

The great Perseus Jackson.

Annabeth whirled to glance at Piper, horrified for what was about to come. Sure enough, a tiny surprised/excited shriek came from the back of Piper's throat and a squeal escaped her lips.

"OMG, OMG IT'S PERCY JACKSON!" Piper shrieked, grinning. Piper looked damn near about to pass out and Annabeth was absolutely, as expected, mortified. Percy jumped slightly, clearly not expecting any of this, but when he saw Annabeth's horrified face and Piper's excitement, a slow, lazy smirk spread across his face as he put the pieces together.

"Piper," he greeted her, coolly. Piper nearly passed out.

"He. Know. My. Name," she squealed some more, fanning herself.

The whole time Percy was just staring at Annabeth with his smirk, knowingly. "I didn't know your friend here liked me," Percy grinned, charmingly. Annabeth's cheeks were slowly turning a scarlet shade, out of both anger and embarrassment. Percy signed a paper nearby for Piper, which she treasured immediately. "Makes me wonder what went wrong with you, Chase," he smirked. Annabeth was infuriated. Piper was fangirling over how 'hot' her celebrity crush, without bothering to censor her words.

"Oh my dear gods, Annie," Piper began. Percy raised an eyebrow at the nickname and Annabeth mentally groaned, knowing he was going to call her that in the future. It took all of Annabeth's will not to strangle him right then and there. Piper continued, not bothered. "Annie, you spend every day with this guy? Omg you are _so_ lucky! How are you not crushing on him yet! I ship you guys, I ship you guys so hard aghhhhhh!" Piper bounced up and down, seemingly delusional with happiness. Finally, she slipped out the door, claiming she had to get to work, leaving Annabeth absolutely humilated, alone, with a smug Percy Jackson.

Once Piper was gone, Percy spoke up. "She ships us?" he snorted. Annabeth glared at him, cheeks practically set ablaze. "Wonder where she got that idea, Chase. Makes me think about how much you've told her. And what you've told her about," Percy said, as if insinuating something. Annabeth's glare hardened.

"Anything you'd like to share?" Percy grinned, deviously.

"All I've told her is how absolutely revolting you are!" Annabeth's gaze bore into his soul, furiously.

Percy shrugged, stifling a laugh at how red her face was. It was kind of adorable, in his opinion. "I wouldn't be interested in you, Jackson, even if you were the last person in the universe!" Annabeth argued, enraged. A tiny quirky smile flashed across Percy's face, sending her over the edge of anger.

Absolutely done with him and his hints and assumptions, Annabeth stormed away. Oh, Piper was getting the silent treatment for the rest of the day.

* * *

Later that day, Annabeth headed down to Percy's studio. She'd forgotten an important file there. Lucky for her, Percy Jackson was at lunch. She wouldn't have to face him. After the embarrassing situation with Piper and him this morning, she was avoiding him altogether, for the sake of her own pride of course.

Annabeth quietly slipped into the recording studio, searching for a manila folder. It had all her marketing statistics for Percy's newest album that had been dropped not too long ago. Percy was making top charts consecutively and trending constantly; there was no doubt that he was popular and most likely extremely talented. Funny that Annabeth had never even heard one of his songs and she was manager. Perhaps it was her pride, perhaps it was something else. She shuffled through the messy scattered papers all over the booth counters. She scrunched up her nose in distaste; Percy was such a slob with his music ideas. He seemed to just toss napkins, random scraps of papers all over a counter, all with lyric ideas scribbled on them. With much difficulty, Annabeth continued to search for her precious folder. Of course Annabeth could simply print off the stats again. She'd saved them all on her laptop and backed them up. But she couldn't because she prided herself for being organized and never losing things, she prided herself for her punctuality. How could she let herself down now? No. She was simply too stubborn to do so.

All of a sudden, the hairs on the back of Annabeth's neck stood up. A creak of the studio door echoed through her ears and a sickening feeling ran through her. She was stuck being in here. Of course, Annabeth could just continue her search for the manila folder and when the person, most likely Percy, came in she could just explain that she seemed to have misplaced the folder. But to do that would mean to speak to Percy, after avoiding him so tactically for the entire day. It would also require Annabeth to admit she'd lost something to the most infuriating person alive. Both of those things, Annabeth couldn't bear to do, so she did the first idea that popped into her head. Annabeth ducked under the desk and hid. This is what she was reduced to: hiding behind celebrity desks. Her face flushed slightly pink at the thought. _Great going, Annabeth._ '

Footsteps walked into the booth and Annabeth tensed up, ducking deeper into the desk in order not to be spotted. She was seriously regretting ducking. This plan was absolutely half baked and ridiculous. Annabeth was utterly and completely embarrassed. The only way she could get more embarrassed was if Percy saw her, which was likely to happen.

Percy, unaware of Annabeth's presence, entered the booth and headed over to his coffee cup which had been sitting on a few napkins near his scrap pile of lyrics. His eyebrows furrowed in confusion. It was obvious the coffee cup had shifted over a few feet from where Percy had last left it. From under the desk, Annabeth cringed. She'd moved the cup while trying to find the folder. She was practically holding her breath from the tension of being caught. Unfortunately, Percy had good hearing and heard faint breathing. Percy, assuming it was either a crazy fan who had broken in (it wouldn't be the first time) or someone dangerous, calmly and slowly walked over to a shelf, his footsteps faint. Annabeth, who couldn't see him from under the desk for fear he'd spot her, was now confused. Where was Percy going?

Percy silently picked up a heavy music record book and walked over to where he'd heard the breathing as nonchalantly as he good. He raised the book slowly, inhaling sharply, and with his left hand went to move the chair in front of Annabeth. Realization struck Annabeth suddenly; Percy thought she was an intruder.

Without warning, Percy began to throw the book, but Annabeth jumped up just in time, hands up in surrender. "WAIT!" she cried out. Surprised, Perseus dropped the book. He blinked his sea green eyes, staring at her with a half blank, half shocked look on his face.

"Chase?!" Perseus hissed in alarm, eyes widening in his daze. He opened and closed his mouth, as if he couldn't the words out.

"Spit it out," Annabeth demanded, quietly, getting annoyed, mostly with herself.

"Why the hell are you hiding under my desk like a stalker?" Percy blurted. Every word seemed to take a jab at her pride. Annabeth crossed her arms over her chest, frustrated that she'd be caught.

"I am not a stalker," Annabeth snapped, irritated. A smirk began to flash over Percy's face and Annabeth internally groaned.

"Annie," he gave her a lopsided grin," I didn't know you liked me so much." Annabeth didn't think her face could possibly get any redder.

"I was just looking for a folder!" she protested. Percy's smirk widened, driving her insane.

"With the contents of...?" he winked, hinting at many things at once. Her face flushed deeper.

"With the statistics for your album!" she blushed. Percy laughed to himself, clearly amused. A small childish pout appeared on Annabeth's face.

"It's not funny," she mumbled.

"It is. It really is," he cracked up. "So let's see. You hid under my desk like a fangirl, a stalker, because you didn't want to talk to me after being accused of being that exactly this morning- a stalker, a lover." Every word made him laugh harder.

A tiny, resisted smile flickered across Annabeth's face. The whole situation _was_ quite ridiculous after all.

"You never fail to surprise me, Chase," he wiped a tear from his eye, letting out a tiny final laugh and taking a deep breath.

"I aim to please," she smiled, now, uncrossing her arms from her chest. And for a moment, just a tiny millisecond, it felt good to laugh with each other. No arguing, nothing more than two people enjoying each other's company, even if only for a split second. Percy offered a tiny smile at her, a smile she hadn't seen ever, but for some reason she knew, that was his real smile. The intimacy of the situation was like lightning all of a sudden. The smile dropped from her face, going back to her business state. Annabeth cleared her throat and pretended not to notice when a hint of disappointment flickered through Percy's eyes. Percy's smile dropped as well.

"Well, let me know if you come across a manila folder anytime," Annabeth mumbled quietly.

Percy nodded, staring into her eyes with a strong gaze. Annabeth dropped his gaze and began to leave. She glanced at her watch; the day was almost over. "See you tomorrow, Jackson," she muttered before she left.

Percy didn't answer as she walked out of the room.

 **A/N: That's all for today. It was only average length, I know, I know; I'll beat myself up for it later, I promise. Hope you all are enjoying the holidays. Adios, amigos.**


	6. Angelic Voice

**A/N: Happy New Years Eve! Here's to hoping the next year will better than ever. Enjoy.**

 **Disclaimer: All rights remain.**

Percy stood outside of the elevator, patiently waiting for the elevator car to arrive at his level. He stared at the floor as he waited, not looking up into the reflective metal doors. A little _ding_ went off, signifying the arrival of the car. The smooth, shiny doors slid open and he sighed at the number of people stuffed into the tiny car. Not wanting to take his chances and risk being late for work, he stepped into the car, breathing a little harder than before. Perseus did not like to be contained, being the rather wild spirit he was. This resulted in minor claustrophobia. People were pressed against him and he tried his hardest not to shiver out of uncomfortableness.

The car stopped at one more level and another plethora of people got in. Percy took note of how different everyone was. One girl had glossy, black hair, wrapped tightly in a bun and kept her head down, one man had short, cleanly cut, brown hair and seemed to take longer strides that practically radiated confidence. Annabeth walked on as well which did not go unnoticed by Percy. With her curly blonde hair and stern grey eyes she was hard to miss. Percy gulped as she was pressed into him, by no fault of hers, but simply due to the capacity of this particular elevator. Percy instantly regretted not taking the stairs.

It was so silent, the only sound in the car being awkward elevator music. For some reason, this brought a tiny smile to Percy's face. It was just so cliche, the awkward silence. The next level nearly almost everyone filed off and the level after that everyone got off but Percy and Annabeth. They level Annabeth and Percy intended to get off at was strictly for artists and managers.

Though grateful for the breathing room, Percy was uncomfortable still due to it just being Annabeth and him. After yesterday, he wasn't all too fond of being alone with her, mostly because of how cold she seemed to be towards him. It wasn't fun, it was like she was a robot and he was just another task to check off for the day. He shouldn't have expected more, he really shouldn't have. Annabeth was just like Athena, wasn't she? Cold, hard, and stern. Percy was just another person to her. For some unexplained reason, this disappointed him. Couldn't they even be friends?

Determined to change the mood, Percy glanced at Annabeth, who was rocking her feet impatiently and waiting for them to reach their level. The only thing he could notice was how much prettier she was yesterday when she'd been laughing with him. Percy blinked at his own thoughts. As if his body had a mind of its own, he swiftly moved over to Annabeth and _kissed_ her.

Mortified by his own actions, Percy's eyes widened immediately. Sure, she was pretty, lots of girls were, but what the hell was he doing?! Percy never reached out. His mind fried at that exact moment and for some reason he found himself unable to pull away.

Annabeth, caught off guard, squeaked a little. Percy was frozen in both fear and captivation of her beauty, but Annabeth didn't hesitate. She jerked away from him, squinting at him and slapped him, hard. Percy winced, cheek turning a bright shade of red.

"What the fuck, Jackson?!" she hissed.

Percy opened and closed his mouth, not knowing what to say. He hadn't meant to kiss her, really. She was just so damn intoxicating. However, Annabeth seemed to only grow angrier when he didn't answer. "You don't touch me!" she clenched her fists, glaring at him with pure hatred. Percy nearly withered under her gaze. His brain was slowly shifting away from how pretty she was to 'think, idiot!'

Without missing a beat, Percy forced himself to shift into his arrogant, player mindset and he simply smirked at her.

"How dare you kiss me!" she growled. "A business relationship, remember! I will not be one of your sluts!" Annabeth was angry, no doubt.

"I'll make you eat your words, Chase. Someday, I promise," he didn't know why he said it. It was just something people expected him to say, so he said it. He didn't want Annabeth to be just another one night stand. He just wanted to make her smile that pretty smile again sometime.

The elevator door opened. "Never. Touch. Me. Again," Annabeth said, scarily, then stormed out of the doors.

Percy walked out, his facade dropping when she rounded the corner. What the fuck just happened. He'd just kissed Annabeth Chase... Percy muttered to himself, trying to wrap his head around the idea as he made his way to his recording booth.

* * *

On her desk, Annabeth found a manila folder with a post it note on it. _To Ms. Chase ;)_ , it said. Only one person could flirt so easily on a goddamn sticky note. Still pissed off, Annabeth violently ripped the note off the folder and crumpled it into a tiny, itty bitty thing, and slammed it into a waste bucket harshly. The momentum caused the tiny, red, paper waste bucket to tip over, its contents spilling onto the floor.

Annabeth's assistant looked up from her own desk, cocking her eyebrow. "Everything alright, Ms. Chase?"

As if by habit, she nodded immediately. "Fine, thank you," she muttered, taking deep breaths, trying to lessen her anger. _Calm. Down. He isn't worth the anger._ Annabeth internally argued with herself. Blaming Percy was so easy, too easy, but she needed to breathe. Doing what she did best, she drowned herself in work. Annabeth was the ultimate workaholic.

* * *

Percy was singing one of his songs. Sure maybe he fooled around sometimes, but for his fans, he got down to business like no other, perfecting each song and knowing each song with every atom in his body. He wasn't just singer, the guy put ever bit of his soul into every word. His songs weren't full of cliche love themes, they always hidden, deep messages. His voice was crystal clear, one of an angel. Funny, when he looked liked the devil's son. Hypnotizing eyes, dark hair, crooked smile. People change, though. Satan used to be an angel. **(Yes, that is an NF reference :P)**

Annabeth didn't know he was singing or she wouldn't have entered the room. She was graced with angelic vocals, blessing her ears when she stepped into that dark room. Dark, because it made Percy feel safe. She didn't know that, of course, just knew he preferred it to be dark, for some unknown reason...

She wouldn't have come in if she'd known Percy was here, not after the elevator incident. After that incident, she'd felt more than anger... confusion, perhaps? What the fuck was Percy thinking? Sure, she knew he was a player, but she didn't really think he had the audacity to try and play her. Annabeth frowned at the thought. But his voice... oh, his voice. She hadn't ever heard his voice before now. Some might find it weird, but to her, it was normal. She didn't get personal or attached with anyone, not even her clients.

Percy heard someone come in, but didn't say anything about it, determined to finish this song. Annabeth stumbled over to the couch, as if on autopilot. The music surrounded her, swirled into her soul, touched her deep to the bone. It made her think about her life, made her think about who she was. The whole song was about reflections, after all. Percy didn't have a single voice crack, no, but his voice was beautifully rugged, raspy, letting the pain seep through each and every note.

Annabeth swallowed hard. When the music stopped, she almost wanted to applaud him, but her pride kept her hands, hers arms, pinned to her sides, stubbornly. Percy stood up, walking over to where she was, expecting anyone, really, except for her. Why was she here? Didn't she hate him by now? Just like he hated himself.

"Chase? You okay?" Percy's soft voice echoed through one ear of Annabeth's and out the other. She was staring at her hands that were clasped together, resting in her lap, her ankles crossed daintily, her eyes glossy and glassed over. "Chase?" his voice was so quiet, so tender. Was she... okay?

Annabeth looked up at him after some time. "Hmm?"

"Are you alright?" he asked, a bit of concern showing in his voice. Percy convinced himself it wasn't concern. He didn't care, no no. He couldn't. She didn't either, right?

"Y-yeah," she stuttered, stumbling slightly as she stood. Annabeth _never_ stutters; Percy frowned. Annabeth nearly tipped over, but Percy studied her. Annabeth didn't protest at his touch, just stared at him as if through new lenses. The piano he had played while singing had been soft, so gentle, barely there, but also so loud at the same time. The song has been melancholy, but happy. A contradiction, just like Percy. She sensed there was something behind that player facade, perhaps humility, kindness, human? Everything she wasn't...

"Nice voice, Jackson," she muttered quietly, so quiet Percy almost didn't hear her.

"Thanks," he reached up to brush her face, but she flinched away automatically.

"W-what are you doing?" her eyes nearly hardened, but softened again. That song had hit her hard, so much so that she couldn't keep her defenses up. Percy looked at her real confused.

"Chase..." he began slowly," you're crying," he whispered. Secretly, he was a tiny bit worried about her. Annabeth was acting really weird.

Her breath caught in her throat. Annabeth was strong. Annabeth didn't cry... She was a robot, emotionless. What was happening to her? She swallowed her remaining tears. "N-no I'm not," she weakly protested, voice thick with emotions. "I don't cry."

His warm palm pressed against her cheek and wiped away the tears, then he allowed his arms to drop to his sides. He knew Annabeth wanted her space. She just stared at him, emptily, nose and cheeks red from crying. Her eyes were slightly puffy now and pink. Thankfully, her makeup was waterproof, or she'd look like more of a mess than she already did.

"Do you want to sit down?" Percy asked, not wanting to get deep with her when he knew she didn't want that. He didn't think he wanted that either. _Business partners,_ he had to constantly remind himself.

"No, I'm good," Annabeth replied, shakily, trying not too appear too shattered. _I'm strong, I'm strong. Hold it together._

Now it was Percy's turn to stutter. "A-alright." He cleared his throat.

"Sorry about this, this was uncalled for," Annabeth muttered, forgetting why she'd even come to his recording studio in the first place. She gestured to her messed up self.

"It's fine," he whispered. The situation was intimate again, in a strange way. It seemed as if no matter what happened they always ended up in this enticing, yet uncomfortable, _wrong_ position.

Annabeth stood taller, forcing her chin up and walked towards the door. "Jackson?" she asked after some time, not even looking back at him.

"Yeah?"

"You have a nice voice," she mumbled and walked out of there, leaving Percy more confused than ever.

 **A/N: What better way to kick off the New Year than with a little bit of angst? You guys are probably a bit confused at the moment, but you'll see, I promise. I'm getting somewhere with all these bits and pieces of serious emotion for Annabeth and Percy. Their backstories are going to be fun. ;) There will be TONS of angst in the first 2018 chapter, I promise. Enjoy today, drink responsibly lol, stay safe, and continue to be good people. I don't preach often but forgive everybody who deserves it (including yourself) and let go of any grudges as well as any anger. It's the New Year, it's your chance to become who you want to be. I love you all. Bye. :)**


	7. No Means No

**A/N: I had midterms and state testing recently, so I've been very busy. I'm really sorry about not updating for so long. I'll try to make sure this long break of no updating never happens again. Hope you enjoy.**

 **Disclaimer: All rights remain.**

 _Annabeth sat in front of her laptop, chewing her bottom lip- a bad habit of hers when she was nervous, overworked, and on a deadline. The white screen illuminated her tan, stony face, casting shadows upon her face and making her appear more tired than usual. Footsteps padded softly behind her but she couldn't find it in herself to tear her eyes from the screen, even if only for a second. "What?" she muttered out to the stranger. Large, warm hands covered her grey eyes, offering warmth she didn't know she needed._

 _"Guess who?" a soft voice asked, the smile in their voice obvious. Annabeth rolled her eyes under the hands, but bit her lip to keep from smiling._

 _"What do you want, Jackson?" she asked, feeling the hands uncover her vision when she uttered his name. Her eyes remained glued to the screen. Percy began talking about something, but she wasn't really listening; she was so focused on her work._

 _"Chase?" his voice mumbled after some time. With a start, she realized he'd asked a question._

 _"Hmm? Ask Piper," she muttered offhandedly. She could practically feel his frown on the back of her head. He began talking again, but to her it was just her and her computer screen, he sounded like he was talking underwater, sounded like the adults in Charlie Brown; incoherent, indecipherable, unimportant._

 _"Chase," Percy's tone was sharp._

 _"Mhmm, sure," she mumbled, brushing off whatever he'd said. All of a sudden, his hands spun her chair around and she shrieked slightly under her breath in surprise._

 _Percy had an iron grip on her hands and his sea green eyes gazed intensely into her own orbs. Annabeth squirmed uncomfortably and tried to pull out of his grip, slightly fearful, but his hold on her was too strong, he was too strong. "Wake up, Annabeth," he said sternly. Percy saying her first name sent involuntary shivers running down her spine. "Wake up." And then his hands released hers and he was walking away._

 _Annabeth swallowed hard and felt a prickly sensation in her throat. Wake up? What did he mean? She was already awake, as awake as she'd ever be. But her own voice in the back of her head nagged her._

 _You can't work forever, Annabeth, there's more to life than this..._

 _She remembered the way his hands had felt, shaking her awake. "Wake up, Annabeth, Beth, wake up, wake up! Wake up!" She felt herself being violently shooken now. She almost wanted to scream at cryptic Perseus to leave her alone. But the voice sounded almost feminine now and the hands were a lot daintier and smaller than Percy's had been..._

With a jolt, Annabeth snapped awake banging backwards into something warm and soft followed by a shriek from said object. "Ow!" Piper shrieked, rubbing her arm where Annabeth's hard head had hit her. "Jeez, Annie, didn't mean to interrupt a good dream," her best friend pouted slightly. Annabeth blinked the sleep out of her eyes and stared up at the gorgeous Native American girl towering over her. Annabeth stood up from her chair to be at eye level with Piper.

"What the hell, Pipes?" she grumbled, slightly irritated.

Her glamorous best friend shrugged, her ivory white fur coat slipping down her shoulder a little to reveal the bronze strap of her silky slip dress. "You promised you'd go clubbing with Jason and I tonight," she pointed out, smiling slightly.

Annabeth groaned. "Ugh, but I hate doing that. It's third wheeling," she informed Piper, with a sour expression on her face. Piper just laughed, clearly amused.

"Oh c'mon, it's not that bad. All sorts of people come, I'm sure you'll find somebody to talk to," she winked suggestively, causing Annabeth's scowl to deepen. "You need to have fun! Besides, if you don't like third wheeling, I can always find you a date, a friend of Jason, like last time," Piper smirked and Beth glared. They both knew how badly the last set up date had gone for Annabeth. It wasn't her fault! It's just... they're all idiots and Annabeth can't stand somebody who cannot match her wit and turn of phrase. Piper shrugged nonchalantly. "Make all the faces you want. You promised and we're going," she smiled brightly, much to Annabeth's dismay.

"Fine," Annabeth begrudgingly gave in, knowing that fighting Piper on this would be damn near impossible.

"Great!" Piper's eyes lit up. "Let's go get dressed then," she hooked her arm through Annabeth's elbow and linked them together, starting towards the front doors of Annabeth's building. Piper dragged them out into the cool evening air and hailed a taxi to her mansion. Annabeth was not excited. At all.

* * *

"Hold still!" Piper chided, working makeup on Annabeth's face expertly. Annabeth grit her teeth and resisted the urge to smack the fake lashes out of Piper's hands before she applied them to Annabeth. "There!" she announced after a few minutes and backed up from Annabeth to admire her masterpiece. "Flawless," she declared.

Annabeth peered into the mirror at herself, her jaw dropping as she examined herself. She looked way more mature just based off the way Piper had painted her face. Piper smirked, slightly smug and pleased at how it had turned out. Annabeth was however, frowning at her dress. It was a simple halter style grey dress, but too Annabeth it was too short. It wasn't of course, but Annabeth was too stuck up and poised and professional for this. "It's too short," she complained.

"It's fine," Piper assured her, slipping into a burgundy dress of her own and finishing painting her own face. "Jason said he'd be here in a few minutes," she announced, looking up from her phone with a smile. Annabeth groaned in reply sending Piper into a fit of laughter.

* * *

Jason pulled up in the backseat of an Uber, smiling charmingly. He kissed her girlfriend's cheek as both girls slid into the backseat after him. Jason's father Zeus owned a rival record company of Stone Records. Annabeth had gone to their record company for business and Piper had tagged along, unknowingly meeting her future boyfriend then. Jason had put to run the company by Zeus not too long ago, therefore ending the rivalry due to the rivalry being between Athena and Zeus, not Athena and Jason. Jason was on rather good terms with Annabeth currently.

Annabeth as well as Jason remained silent during the ride due to Piper babbling about something she was excited about. Annabeth silently observed the way her best friend's eyes lit up as she talked, the way the corner of Jason's mouth quirked up in a slightly amused manner as he watched her talk, not really listening to what Piper was saying, but the passion with which she spoke. Annabeth longed to be as innocent as Piper, as content as Piper, as unworried as Piper. Alas, she was burdened with stress, worries, problems, and real life to play barbie in a dream house like Piper McLean. Annabeth tore her gaze off the Native American beauty, choosing to peer out the window instead as they pulled up to the club.

Jason slid out first, opening the door for Piper and Annabeth. He helped Piper out like a typical gentleman would. _No,_ Annabeth thought, _typical Jason._ It was too perfect and she didn't like it. Annabeth got out the door he held open after Piper all by herself, not bothering to take his hand. Jason knew she wasn't being rude though, that was just the way Annabeth was. He softly shut the door behind the tall girl.

Piper opened the door and Annabeth as well as Jason followed the rainbow-eyed girl into the club. Music pounded into Annabeth's heart and soul the moment she walked in. Immediately Piper grabbed Jason's hand and shot a wink towards her best friend and nudged Annabeth out into the crowd. Annabeth almost yelled at Piper, but was unable to due to being split up from the two of them. Annabeth sighed knowing Piper wanted her to mingle. Fine, she could mingle.

Annabeth made her way to the bar first. Like hell she'd be able to tolerate mingling unless she was somewhat tipsy. "I'll take a Cosmo," she said confidently to the barista. It seemed Annabeth was almost incapable of mumbling or sounding shy sometimes. The barista nodded and went to make her drink. A minute later the pink liquid in a martini glass with a lime slice adorning the rim was handed to her. "Thanks," she said putting her rosy lips to it. Annabeth's back was to the dance floor and music.

* * *

Somewhere across the dance floor Percy Jackson had entered the club, dressed in nothing too fancy, just something to help him blend in. With the music blaring, nobody seemed to notice. Percy made his way to the bar, sitting at the other end of the counter, not noticing Annabeth sitting down on the other side. Her blonde curls covered her face and she her head was tilted down, focusing solely on her drink, so he didn't notice. "I'll take an Old Fashioned," he told the barista.

* * *

Luke Castellan was a coworker of Annabeth's. Athena seemed to like him more than her own daughter, to be honest. He was a manager at Stone Records as well, but adored by the owner, unlike Annabeth Chase. Annabeth despised him with a fiery passion, for she knew it was all a facade, his nice act. Of course Athena loved him, of course. Annabeth loathed him, he was constantly flirting with staff and making rude remarks. Unfortunately, Annabeth wasn't an exception of his flirty ways. Of course Luke wanted to earn Annabeth's adoration, but Annabeth would never let him. He could kiss up to her all he wanted, he'd never win her heart, not like he easily won Athena's favoritism. No way in hell.

The tall blonde man snuck up on Annabeth like a sly panther and sat down next to Annabeth real suave. "Hey," he grinned at her. Annabeth mentally groaned seeing Luke here. Annabeth did not reply to him and instead engrossed herself in her Cosmo. "It's considered rude not to acknowledge me," Luke replied easily.

"It's also considered rude to hit on a girl who's made it obvious she's not interested on numerous occasions," Annabeth said sassily, giving him a pointed look. Luke continued to grin as if it didn't affect him.

"I admit, perhaps you and I did not start off on the right foot," Luke began. Annabeth mumbled something incoherent and most likely rude into her drink as he spoke. Luke dutifully ignored her and continued talking. "How about I pay for your drink and then we dance, get to know each other properly?" Luke suggested, his white teeth gleaming. Annabeth rolled her eyes, she hated the way Luke constantly harassed her.

"Just let me be, Luke," she said casually, but there was a hard undertone to her voice that tried to mark the end of this conversation. Luke didn't care and continued to try and win Annabeth's affection.

"Oh, come on, Annabeth. Don't be so stuck up, let's dance," he smiled at her. Annabeth glared in response, finishing her drink. Luke stood and held her hand. Annabeth immediately tried to pull her hand away, but his grip was too strong.

"Let. Go. Of. Me," her eyes shot daggers at him.

"Oh, stop," he laughed. "You'll enjoy this, I promise," Luke began to dance with her, much to her dismay. Annabeth tried to pull away, but every time she got close Luke pulled her closer. His hand slithered down her back to the small of it and Annabeth felt bile rise in her throat. _Let go of me!_ she wanted to scream. The pounding music, the flashing lights, the way Luke was pressing against her despite her obvious uncomfortableness, Annabeth felt like she couldn't breathe. She was drowning, she was drowning... Annabeth gasped for breath, squeezing her eyes shut. _Let me go, let me go! Please! Let go of me!_ Nobody around her seemed to notice the distress in her eyes and on her face.

"Let go," she croaked, finding her voice.

"What?" Luke smirked, looking at her.

"I said let go," her voice quavered. Luke was taller than her, so much taller that it scared her now. "Please, Luke, let me go." He pushed up against her even more and she felt tears forming in the corner of her eyes as his hands traveled dangerously. "H-help," she croaked now, knowing where this was going and not liking it. It didn't help that she was tipsy and Luke was sober. He's easily be able to... Annabeth shuddered, knees buckling underneath her. His fingers revoltingly slipped underneath her dress and a tear began to roll down her cheek now. Luke didn't stop, Luke grabbed her by the wrist tightly and subtly dragged her to a corner of the club.

Tears streamed down the once proud girl's face. Annabeth was too tipsy to properly fight Luke, besides Luke was much too strong, much stronger than her. Annabeth began hyperventilate as his cold finger shimmied up her skin, touching her, grabbing her. It hurt, it hurt so much. Annabeth gasped in agony.

"S-stop," she whimpered, grey eyes pleading.

Luke didn't stop.

 **A/N: I know I promised there would be tons of angst in this chapter, but I already hit 2,415 words and it was getting to be too long so I decided to stop here and push the angst over onto the next chapter. I'll update asap, I'm really sorry for the long wait! Hope you enjoyed and please review if you liked it. And if you didn't, review and tell me why. :) Bye, guys.**


	8. Stereotypes Shatter

**A/N: Anyone who's been reading this story from when I posted Chapter 6 knows I've named each chapter just by the number of the chapter. I've been wanting to rename my chapter titles for some time now. I don't know why, but I'm just bored of numbers. Hope you like the new names and this chapter.**

 **Aejacob: I've always felt bad for Luke too, I don't understand how people hate him haha. He went through so much.**

 **Disclaimer: All rights remain.**

Percy had finished up his Old Fashioned and made his way to the dance floor. He sent a few flirtatious winks towards a few girls, but in reality he wasn't dancing, he was on his way to the other end of the dance floor where he could quietly sit and enjoy the music, maybe check his phone. Percy wasn't exactly the type to dance, to go all out. He had been checking his phone when he heard a quiet whimpering from nearby. Percy simply forgot about it, figuring he was hearing things. But the second time, it was clear it wasn't a mistake. A female's voice; young, innocent, beautiful, and absolutely terrified, met his ears. They seemed to be pleading, pleading for mercy, their voice was shaky... Percy frowned, downing the rest of his glass and standing up. He had no idea what was going on, but every time he remembered the way that voice sounded- so helpless, desperate, afraid, a tug of desperation to put that anonymous young woman out of whatever misery she was currently going through pulsed through his heart so strongly it was impossible to ignore.

He had a pretty good idea what was happening. Some girl was about to get taken advantage of and it wasn't going to be pretty. Percy was a player, sure, he broke hearts like there was nothing to it, because there wasn't, not for him at least, but he had his morals. And no woman would be harmed by some drunk bastard while Percy sat there and ignored her pleas of help from a hidden corner. The man's voice was slurred and he kept repeating things like 'it's okay' and 'you'll love it' or 'you love me' in that sickening drunken voice. Percy picked up the pace searching helplessly for where she was, where they were, where he'd have to politely ask the man to step away from the young woman. He whirled around a corner, the music blasting so loudly in the club that it was damn near impossible to find the source of where the pleas originated from.

His heart hammered in his chest, seemingly about to explode out if he didn't release the building tension in his core...

* * *

Annabeth shuddered absolutely revolted as his hands ghosted her bare skin. A sickening rip echoed through her ears as she listened to the fabric of her mesmerizing dress being torn at the seems by Luke. She'd never felt more helpless in her entire life. She could only whimper now, unable to even form coherent sentences, much less words, much less cries of pleas. Tears smarted in the corner of her eyes and Luke hushed her gently, sweetly, but Annabeth knew he wasn't sweet; it was his sickening facade and nothing else.

"Don't cry," he slurred, wiping her tears away. Annabeth visibly trembled, flinching away from Luke slightly, only to be pulled in closer by him. Why. Why her. What did she do to deserve this? Annabeth's head clouded with thoughts of failure, of reasons why this was happening to her, what she'd done. She was too out of it to understand it wasn't her fault, it wasn't any rape victims fault, never. It could happen to anyone. She felt her undergarments being slipped off, torn, shredded, she could feel more air against her bare skin, but all she could think was how this was her fault...

It hurt. That was all she could think about as his tongue revoltingly licked like fire on her neck and collarbone and everywhere else. Everywhere... It hurt so bad. She wished she'd stop, he wasn't stop, he kept going, he made lots of noises of drunken pleasure. Annabeth remained pinned to the ground, silently crying, unable to move so paralyzed with fear. _What did I do to deserve this? I'm sorry._

* * *

Percy turned the corner once, twice, three times and then he saw it. Hidden in a dark corner of the club were two figures, definitely a girl and a boy. Percy hastily approached them and under close examination, Percy realized it and it all came crashing down on him. There was his manager, his feisty, sarcastic, gorgeous manager Annabeth Chase pinned cruelly under yet another coworker, another manager: Luke Castellan.

And then Percy's vision blurred, his mind going hazy. All he knew was his fist was somehow connected with Luke's face, straight in the nose. Blood gushed out of Luke, staining Percy's clothes a bit but it's not like he noticed anyways. Luke snarled, angry, tackling back, fighting back. Soon it was a full out brawl and Percy was hit just as much as Luke, perhaps just bit less; Percy was so angry he was easily beating Luke's ass. Death wasn't good enough for Percy, death was too easy, Luke deserved to be punished. How could he do that to a girl like Annabeth? How could he...? Percy couldn't even judge him, knowing he was a player gave him no better image than Luke. But Percy never took advantage, never. He would never. Chase was a goddamn warrior, a perfect princess, how could anyone hurt her? Anger fueled Percy more than anything.

Soon enough Luke was peppered with more blue nasty bruises than Annabeth had received from Luke. Percy was barely aware of some guard pulling Luke and Percy apart, he was barely aware of the fact that this fight would be all over the tabloids tomorrow morning, he didn't care. All he wanted was to hurt Luke like he hurt Annabeth. Before he knew it, Luke was thrown out one exit of the club for disturbance and Annabeth and himself were kicked out from a different exit. Percy's ass hit the cold alleyway ground and he stared his bloody knuckles in surprise, as if just realizing what he'd done for the first time. That's when it hit him in full realization. He no longer cared that he was injured or that he still wanted to torture Luke, wanted to make him pay, he was suddenly aware of the quivering Annabeth on the ground behind him.

Slowly turning around, Percy turned around to face a beyond frightened Annabeth and what he saw broke a heart he didn't know he'd had. Her stormy passionate, intense grey eyes, the ones that scared him in the best way possible were dull and dark. Her face was blank and crumpled, tears rolling down her cheeks as she shook uncontrollably. She was still slightly bare, and the cold air bit at her skin, like a reminder. Her legs were clamped together, her arms wrapped around herself as she curled up like a turtle, hiding. Her head was down, ashamed. How could she be ashamed? Luke should be...

All anger dissipated from Percy's soul at the moment, he'd even it out with Luke later, he swore on the River Styx he would. But now all he wanted to do was bring the fire back to Annabeth. He was afraid she was gone forever. Percy wanted to cry himself, seeing the way she looked traumatized him enough, he couldn't even imagine how traumatized she was. Percy kept a good distance from her, not wanting her to feel uncomfortable. Very slowly and carefully, he took his jacket off, explaining what he was doing as he did in order not to scare her.

"I'm just going to give this to you, okay? I don't want you to be cold," Percy whispered slowly and gently. Annabeth offered no response. Carefully, he reached out and wrapped Annabeth in the jacket. Her shivering lessened a tiny bit now that she wasn't exposed anymore, but her soul was exposed as she sobbed, chest heaving in big broken cries. He wanted to hug her, he felt the urge to comfort her, to take all the hurt away and be her saving grace, but Percy couldn't even touch her not anymore. He was so afraid to hurt her, to scar her, to make her afraid of himself. He simply couldn't bear to do that.

Seeing her so vulnerable revealed another side of Annabeth, the true side of her he'd never seen before. Annabeth wasn't a soldier, a bitch, a prissy city girl. She was a warrior, broken girl. He swallowed hard. He was also a broken boy, he wondered if she could see through him, if she knew. Annabeth knew, she was terrified beyond what words could ever describe in that exact moment, but she could see how he wasn't just some fuckboy, how he was a sweet broken boy who'd been hurt too many times. Like her. Their first glances, their first everything meant nothing to either of them as Percy sat a few feet apart from her. This was the real them. Broken, caring, and beautiful. Any and all stereotypes did not apply to them, they were beautifully broken, they were the same yet so different. Percy said nothing as they sat there in the cold air, relishing the calm silence, the only interruption of the silence were Annabeth's periodic hiccups from crying her heart out. Percy still wanted to touch her, to comfort her, but he kept a respectful comfortable distance. Carefully he stood and Annabeth shakily managed to stand, supporting herself with the alleyway's brick walls.

"You need help?" his whisper carried through the wind reaching her ears. She barely shook her head, but he saw it and said nothing besides," you sure?" Which was followed by a slight nod from Annabeth. Her head was tilted towards the ground and she looked dispirited. Percy hated the world for this. "Want me to call anyone? Piper?" Percy offered, not wanting her to be alone. She didn't answer but Percy knew deep down she wanted to say yes. Carefully Percy took her phone from her and then went back to keep his distance from her, then texted Piper to meet Annabeth at Annabeth's apartment.

He handed her back her the phone which she just barely managed to clutch in her clammy fingers. Annabeth had never looked paler in her entire life and Percy worried for her deep down, even if he didn't know he was worrying for her. Percy carefully walked her back to her apartment until they were standing just outside her door. He unlocked it for her and gave her the keys back.

He stared at her for a moment while she leaned on the doorway for support, staring at the floor. "Want me to stay until Piper arrives?" _I don't want to leave you alone. I want to be seeing you at all times, to know you're safe._ Her lip was trembling again and soon Annabeth was crying again. She felt so pathetic. _It's all my fault, I'm such a slut._ Annabeth was slipping into insanity, into despair. She didn't meet his eyes.

Percy didn't want to leave her. He forced his feet to shuffle away, murmuring a goodbye as she shakily shut the door behind her. Annabeth slid against the back of the door crumpling into a heap against the door and began sobbing again.

Percy began to walk home, shuffling uncomfortably. He couldn't shake the way her eyes had looked, so empty, so void... so sad. His throat closed up at the thought and he found himself swallowing emotions quicker than he ever downed alcohol. Percy refused to cry, to him it would be a weakness. He knew it was a weakness to Annabeth as well, which is why he found it so horrible to see her crying so much. Annabeth was strong, Annabeth was beautiful, no doubt about it. How could he.

Percy shook off his thoughts, trying not to think about it, but no matter what he did he couldn't forget. He went home and stripped himself of his clothes before crawling into the tub. The bath wasn't relaxing at all, he was busy being haunted by Annabeth's image. Percy washed off all the blood covering himself; hatred for Luke still coursed through his veins stronger than most things in his life. He would never let up on this, Luke would pay, Percy would make sure of it. There was no way he was getting off the hook, over Percy's dead body.

Percy didn't look in the mirror as he dried off and dressed. He knew he looked horrible, what with all the bruises and cuts from Luke. Needless to say, Percy didn't get a wink of sleep that night, same as Annabeth. He couldn't sleep and just thought about her the whole night, Annabeth up in her own apartment clutching her brain, crying and blaming herself. Every time she closed her eyes she felts Luke's harsh fingers pressing into her skin, every time he closed his eyes, Percy saw Annabeth's dead face. Luke was passed out in some friend's apartment after being knocked out by Percy.

Percy sighed to himself thinking of the way she wasn't like any stereotypical city girl, how beautiful she was, how it hurt to see her hurt. No he wasn't in love, they didn't even get along. But Percy was no stereotypical fuckboy either, he had too big of a heart, that's what led him to this, not the opposite way round. Percy just couldn't help but blame himself.

 _If only I'd been at her side sooner,_ he thought.

 _I deserved it,_ she thought.

Sleep was for the weak anyways.

 **A/N: Ahhhh! Where are my manners? I've been meaning to thank you all for all the reviewing and following and favorites! Your support means everything to me. Thank you so much, you guys are the best. See you soon :)**


	9. The Aftermath

**A/N: Sup, everyone! So here's the latest thing: Fangirl Shrieks (she's the author of this story) isn't on fanfiction for the time being (she's in the middle of something at the moment). She's been off since around the 8th of February and doesn't know when she'll be back. But she didn't want to let you all down so because I'm her friend IRL she asked me to publish the next few chapters for her. She wrote them ahead of time (I swear I saw her writing like five chapters in one day, it was super impressive lol), but she never writes her author's notes or disclaimers ahead of time so I guess I'll just be writing those in for her. I hope you like the chapter! :D**

 **Disclaimer: Rick Riordan owns Percy Jackson and the Olympians**

Annabeth wasn't at work for a few days; Percy couldn't help but worry. It wasn't his place, he knew, he barely knew Annabeth for god's sake but she was amazing, he knew that much. She didn't deserve what she got at all. Luke didn't show up for work one day after that happened, probably because of his hangover, at least that's what Percy figured. But Percy knew damn well that Luke either didn't remember doing it or didn't care and felt no remorse whatsoever, most likely the latter. He'd _ruined_ Annabeth, couldn't he see that?

Percy didn't say anything though, he didn't punch anyone, he didn't exact his revenge on Luke just yet. He couldn't, not without Annabeth saying he could, without giving him permission to do anything. He didn't want to let her down, he didn't want to scare her, disappoint her, do anything except be there for her. And yet he couldn't even do that. Percy never called, not once when she was gone. It wasn't that he didn't want to, but no matter how hard he seemed to try he could never manage to dial her number completely. One day he'd picked up his phone, dialed the number halfway and then put it back down. That's the farthest he ever got. Percy ached to check on her, to hear her voice (a voice that would probably and unfortunately sound different than it used to before the incident). But he couldn't, for some goddamn reason.

Something always told him she wouldn't want to hear his voice, see him. Annabeth could hardly stand him on a regular day, right? She would break down if she saw him, at least that's what Percy figured, so he suffered in silence, not hurting Luke, not complaining for he knew she was in a worse place, not doing anything but silently killing himself inside by keeping his oh so painful distance.

Annabeth turned up to work four days later. People shot her curious looks but she didn't seem to notice. Percy's breath hitched the moment he first saw her. She looked different, she really did; her head was down and she didn't carry herself with the confidence she usually did. It broke his heart a little to see somebody he thought he knew at least a little bit so kicked. Luke didn't come near her, thank god or Percy wouldn't have been able to control himself, he would've decked him right then and there. Percy wasn't sure if Luke was avoiding Annabeth or if Annabeth was ignoring him. He figured Annabeth was the one avoiding Luke, in fact she seemed to avoid everyone these days, including himself. And it tore him to pieces inside. It hurt so bad, she hurt so bad and he didn't understand because nobody mattered like this, really, nobody ever had. Percy wasn't in love but something hurt inside yet he just couldn't quite place his finger on it.

Annabeth flinched more now. That was the biggest difference Percy realized. She flinched from him too. It hurt so bad but his own nonexistent emotions were worth nothing to him in comparison to her happiness. Percy just deeply wished everything could go back to normal, like how they used to be with his own idiotic commentary and Annabeth snapping at him like the stubborn young woman she was in that voice that radiated pure intelligence. You never had to wonder whether if she was smarter than you or not, because deep down you always knew she was. She was prettier, smarter, better than anything you'd ever seen before. So he loved her.

Yes, Percy loved her to some extent. But he wasn't _in_ love with her. He wasn't in love with anybody. He loved the idea of her, nothing less nothing more. It's just the way it was. And sure it was tense and unbearable at some moments, but god he longed for those days. It seemed liked just two hours ago he'd been on top of Luke, anger consuming him, the fear glittering in her eyes or maybe it was tears...

That day Annabeth was sitting at her own desk quietly doing her own work, head down into her work and utterly and completely engrossed in whatever she was doing. Engrossed because that way emotions were nonexistent and she could be numb more easily. She couldn't even cry anymore. Percy quietly approached her that day. It'd been some time since they'd spoken, probably since the incident was the last time. Both people were more hollow than ever, but perhaps they'd been hollow this whole and had just faked the other one out by pretending they were full. Perhaps they never were.

He didn't tap her shoulder, just the sound of his light footsteps made her flinch away and look up. Percy stood a good three feet away from her just for her own comfort. "Ms. Chase," he began, slightly hurt deep down by the way her gaze stayed glued to her shoes and not peering into his face anymore. It seemed he never saw her steely gorgeous grey eyes anymore, not that he was so sure he'd want to see them again. What if he looked in them and they were different? He wasn't sure he would be able to handle that. "...you should tell someone," was all he said. They hadn't talked about it since that night. They hadn't talked at all, for god's sake.

Upon closer inspection, Percy could see the way her hand was shaking slightly. Guilt filled up in his chest and he shut his mouth despite the fact that he knew she needed to tell someone. She needed to get help, she couldn't face this alone no matter how brave she was. "Please," he croaked, whispering, pleading for her to seek advice, help, kind ears. Her bottom lip trembled and Percy backed out of the doorway unable to see her. He couldn't make her cry, it would break him. So he left her alone once more.

* * *

Annabeth just feels empty wherever she goes. Sometimes she still can't believe this is reality. It's like she's standing off to the side, locked up in a cage and watching this all happen to some blonde girl who looks just like herself. She washes her hands in the bathroom sink her eyes never meeting the ones in the reflection. She's afraid she'll see the eyes of a stranger. She doesn't know who she is anymore, what's real anymore. Everybody frightens her so she keeps her head down. It's all her fault, she was stupid, she is stupid. She's such a slut. All she sees are the blue bruises peppering her body, lining her neck in particular, marking her as Luke's property. When she's alone, she feels the ghosts of the hands running on her body, she feels his hands handling her roughly, feels his slim fingers choking, feels his disgusting lips locked to her skin. She feels the fingers on no matter where she goes, there is no escaping it, no escaping them. She's trapped. She's drowning. Nobody can save her now.

Athena called Annabeth into her office the day Annabeth went back to work. Her perfectly manicured nails tapped against her desk in an irritating pattern. Annabeth felt too cold inside to notice. It was always cold these days, the silence made the world cold. Athena's eyes narrowed when they landed on her daughter. "You lazy little brat," was the first thing Athena said. Annabeth involuntarily flinched. "Just because we're unfortunately related does not give you the right to slack off for _four days_ ," Athena's voice was sharp and ice cold, colder than most anything Annabeth had ever heard. Luke's voice had been colder though, she remembered. Athena's eyes narrowed even more on Annabeth's neck. Just barely peeking out from behind the infinity scarf Annabeth had taken great care to cover her entire neck with to cover the evidence of when she'd been vulnerable and hurt, a hint of a hickey peeked out.

Angered, Athena whipped the scarf off harshly. Annabeth flinched away, but Athena harshly pulled Annabeth closer and examined her neck and collarbone in disbelief. Annabeth was on the verge of tears but Athena didn't seem to notice. "Is that..." she began," a hickey?!" her voice seemed a tad hysterical. "You dirty, filthy slut!" Athena reprimanded, chiding Annabeth for something that wasn't her fault. Annabeth didn't stand up for herself, she took the verbal abuse like it was normal, like she deserved. To Annabeth, she felt did. Athena accuses her of staining the family name. Now a tear does manage to slip out of Annabeth's eye, rolling down her cheek. She is so prideful, she'd never cry in front of Athena. Annabeth tries to hold it in, but she gets a little misty when she's yelled at.

"Who was it, you slut?" Athena is disgusted and Annabeth doesn't blame her. Annabeth is disgusted with her slutty self as well. Annabeth doesn't utter a single name, she can't even bring herself to think of his name or goosebumps run down her skin again and she begins to suffer from a terrible case of horripilation. She feels the hands brushing her skin every time she remembers him. It isn't important anyways, who it was. She is simply a whore, nothing more and nothing less. Annabeth walks out of there and begins crying, hugging herself. Nobody sees her because she locks her office door and stays there for the whole day.

Percy finds out what happened much, much later. When Percy finds out Athena said that to her, he wants to throttle Athena. Percy scares her, everyone scares her. Annabeth is hollow inside. She can't scream, she can't cry, she can't anymore. She wants it to all end. Why won't it end? It doesn't ever end.

Annabeth is falling into a pit that she'll never be able to crawl out of. She can't breathe anymore and she's unknowingly bringing Percy, Piper, Jason, Calypso, a few more people down with her. Especially Percy because he was there, because he knows. She hurts him, she's hurting her.

It's never ending. It's only getting worse, she needs help, she's too prideful to ask for help. Percy wants to help her, she won't let him, her pride blinds her. It won't end. It will never end. She's begging for it to stop. Nothing's changing. She wants to run from her life, she wants it to just stop for one second so she can reclaim her shattered and damn near nonexistent sanity. Annabeth can't stop any of it, so one night she tries to stop it. She can't outrun any of it, there is no escape. She wants life to end so badly so she tries to make it happen. She's desperate. This is her sweet release, her escape, nobody can save her now.

She's drowning inside. Her head will be underwater soon, metaphorically. 10%

She's almost gone. 17%

The world is darkening around her, she's consumed and damn near unconscious, at least her soul is. 23%

Those pills just keep going down her throat as if there's nothing to it. 44%

She has no regrets. She doesn't care anymore. She wants it to end and this is the only way how. 69%

Her heart doesn't beat in time anymore. She's tired of struggling. She did this to herself. 78%

It isn't a life she wants. So she throws it away. 92%

Darkness is no longer a friend. 98%

It is part of her. 99%

Pitch black.

She is gone.

 _100%_

 **A/N: So that was her chapter. I guess I should ask for reviews lol? Other fanfiction authors seem to do that XD Idek lols.**

 **Review please! She worked super hard to complete a lot of them in just one day just for you guys! Thank you, on her behalf, for all the reviews and stuff. I'll try to post her next chapter next weekend, cuz I know she usually posts then. Bye! :)**


	10. The Hospital

**A/N: Ah shit, sorry for not posting till now. Btw this is Fangirl again; I'm sorry you had to listen to my friend's cringe two weeks due to my absence haha. I meant to post last week (I even relieved my friend of their duties), but I've been pretty busy. Not to mention fanfiction's being an asshole with their stupid server not working sometimes. Despite it all,** **I hope you like it.**

 **Disclaimer: All rights remain.**

The hospital is horrible place, at least to Percy it always was. It was the place he'd lost his mother when he was awfully young and that was all he could ever remember about this place. Nobody smiled in the hospital and if you did they always looked at you like they'd seen a ghost. The sterile smell of the hospital made Percy feel unbearably itchy and uncomfortable. So if he hated it so much, then why was he here? Piper had a key to Annabeth's apartment, of course she did. She had come to Annabeth's place to hang out, they often dropped by each other's places without a warning, they were best friends, but what she'd seen wasn't at all what she'd expected. But who expects to see their best friend passed out over a counter?

Piper couldn't even be afraid for Annabeth, she couldn't afford to. She had to save her, she just had to. There wasn't enough time for panic to build in her core, it was all so blurry. Piper was fumbling for her phone, and blindly dialing a number. And then it overtook her, tears sliding down her cheeks, how much could one person take if they didn't understand? Now Piper sat by Annabeth's hospital bed, quiet and exhausted.

Percy was walking briskly, he didn't like the hospital and so he was only here for one reason and one reason only. He practically ran into the elevator, tapping his toe impatiently as he watched the levels pass. Finally when he made it to level floor, he darted out the doors, trying to find the room. It was as if the room number was engraved in his mind. His heart was beating out of his chest when he came face to face with the door. Swallowing his fears, Percy raised his hand and rapped his knuckles against the door. Annabeth would _not_ die, not like his dear Sally Jackson had so many years ago.

"Come in," a voice croaked, it was so quiet but not Annabeth's voice. It was Piper's. Percy slowly pushed the door open, quietly shutting it behind him afterwards. Piper didn't look up and Percy wasn't exactly surprised. He could hardly took his eyes off the now pale faced Annabeth laying in that bed in that stupid hospital gown that she should never ever have to be in, she shouldn't be in here. Piper shouldn't be in here, he shouldn't be here, none of them should've been at goddamn hospital.

Not only was Annabeth lucky to be alive, she was even luckier that she hadn't reached a coma phase like most patients would have at this point. Of course nothing was sure now, the doctors were going to keep her for two nights, just to make sure she didn't slip into a coma, just to make sure she'd be okay. _Okay._ What did that work even freaking mean anymore? None of this was okay and Percy would be damned if he didn't go punch Luke at the least now. Perhaps smack Athena as well.

"You shouldn't be here," a small voice whispered, snapping Percy out of violent fantasies. It took a lot to get Percy mad, _really mad_ , but this about did it. Percy seethed internally, but looked up to match the face who'd spoken. Piper's eyes were duller than normal as she looked up at him. She didn't seem to care that _the_ Percy Jackson was here anymore, she was busy worrying about her best friend.

"...I know," he muttered after a moment, reluctantly allowing Piper to win the brief silent staring contest. "I know I shouldn't be here," he repeated when she said nothing.

"You're just another one of her clients. You shouldn't be seeing her like this," Piper said, tone getting harsher and harsher. She didn't know who to be angry at for all this, certainly never Annabeth. So Perseus. She could be angry at Percy. Percy glanced at Annabeth's face. She didn't look calm, she looked troubled even in her sleep.

"I know," Percy said trying not to sound hurt, though it did sting for reasons he couldn't quite place his finger on. Piper resisted the urge to snap at him to get out right that moment.

"What the fuck happened?" she whispered coldly at him. He hesitated, but he knew it was wrong. So he didn't say.

"It's not my place to say," Percy's voice is airy, unsure. It was hard to be sure of anything these days.

"To hell with that," she muttered while standing up, albeit shakily. Piper walked out the door and after a wistful, yet apologetic glance at Annabeth, Percy followed her out into the hallway. Once he got outside he saw Piper sitting on one of those plastic blue hospital chairs with her hands covering her face, hunched over. A shaky breath escaped her mouth as she harshly sucked in a breath. Percy came and sat next to her, shifting uncomfortably as he played with his hands, not knowing what else to do.

Piper slumped back into her seat and stared at the ceiling. "What happened," it wasn't a request. Percy licked his lips in thought, until he finally broke the awkwardly lingering silence.

"I told her to tell you."

"And she didn't tell me?"

"I guess not. But-"

Piper cut him off. " _But it's not your place to tell_ ," she interrupted sassily. "Listen up." Her gaze made shivers tingle down Percy's spin. "That's my best friend in there and she's damn near dead. So unless you fucking start spilling, I'm going to castrate you, Perseus," Piper hissed.

"Fine. Fine!" he groaned, rubbing his temples and letting his hands fall over his face. Percy exhaled a breath, heart pounding out of his chest. How does one tell someone their best friend got raped? How does one break the news that their best friend's mother is fucking insane? How does one do any of that without breaking down themselves? "Something happened, that night at the club," Percy admitted.

"Wait, you were there?" Piper interjected.

"Yes," he sighed. "I was keeping out of attention, simply enjoying my drink in a corner. I didn't exactly want the press blowing up my goddamn favorite drink," he snapped. It looked like both of them were a tad on edge. "Sorry," he muttered, apologizing immediately. "I'm just tense." He paused, trying to figure out how to gently break the news without Piper flipping a table.

"Luke was there," he continued. Piper's lips pressed into a straight line at that; Percy figured she already didn't like Luke. This was about to get way worse. "He's an asshole," Percy tried to keep his temper in check. "Annabeth was a little bit tipsy, but still out of it. He... he-" Percy stopped talking or he might possibly break down into tears or punch a wall, he wasn't sure.

"He didn't," Piper's face paled, eyes widening as her thoughts trailed off, finishing what Percy hadn't said yet.

"He did," his voice caught on air.

"Wh-wh..." her voice shook and then cut off completely, tears rolling down her cheeks. "Why wouldn't she tell me? Why wouldn't you? Why would somebody ever do such a..."

"I'm sorry," he closed his eyes for a second, then opened them to stare at the ground. "I should have told you... but you understand why I also couldn't."

Piper's lip trembled. "What do I do? Perseus... I don't know... I don't know what to do. I-" she quivered.

Percy continued, trying to rip it off like a bandaid. "And then Athena found out, called her a few choice words. Image is important in this industry. I tried to stop him, b-but I was too late. I fought him off, and after that I honestly don't remember. It's all blurry."

"I hate her. I hate her," Piper's voice began to rise, she was going to scream, so Percy quickly cut her off, covering her mouth with his hand.

"Me too," he agreed as Piper crumpled against the back of the chair into a heap of sobs and cries. "It is what it is," he mumbled over Piper's incoherent cries.

"How did everything turn to shit so quickly?" Piper blubbered after a moment, hiccuping still but not nearly as hysterical as she'd been a few minutes ago. Percy offered a half shrug.

A nurse walked past them then and both their heads snapped up to her involuntarily. Of course they looked up expectantly at everyone who passed, hoping they'd have news about Annabeth, saying she'd be okay. They sat in silence for a god knows how long, looking up at staff hopefully a few times as they passed, though none ever stopped with news. In a way, Percy figured that was a good thing. No bad news.

Around an hour later, a nurse poked her head out of Annabeth's room glancing at them, those two miserable people. "She's awake."

Hope fluttered in Percy's chest at the sound of those two words. Piper swallowed her remaining tears, preparing herself to face Annabeth in a new light now. Percy supposed it was new for him too, he shouldn't be here. He was just another client, and yet he felt a powerful tug in his chest, reminding himself why he was here.

"Hey," Piper greeted Annabeth softly, reclaiming her faithful seat next to Ms. Chase.

"Hey," Annabeth mumbled, acknowledging no one in particular while staring out the window. "Is my mother here?" were the first words she uttered. Piper deflated slightly and Percy shared her disappointment. She didn't even care that they were here? She'd rather have that witch, Athena Stone beside her?

"No," Percy replied, a bit coldly. Piper shot him a look and he let the building anger inside him fizzle out. It didn't matter, he was just supposed to be here whether Annabeth wanted him here or if she was indifferent to his presence.

"Oh," was all Annabeth said in reply, disappointment evident in the way she spoke.

"But we're here," Piper added with a false cheeriness, though it was so obviously fake and forced. "How are you feeling?" Annabeth shrugged slightly, not even bothering to glance their way. It wasn't that she resented them or that she didn't want them here, it was the guilt forming in her gut.

Piper swallowed forcibly. "I'll be right back, I'm going to go talk to the nurse, see how long you need to be here, alright?" she asked Annabeth, squeezing her hand gently. Annabeth didn't answer as Piper walked out the room, shutting the door softly behind her as she made her way down the hall to the desk.

"I'm sorry," Annabeth's voice cracked then, wavering. Her eyes glossed over as she continued to peer out the window but it was clear her words were directed to Percy. After all, they were the only two in the room. Now Percy wasn't exactly the biggest touchy feel-y type, he'd only been like that with his mom, but now seeing her there all hurt he couldn't help it. He had to help ease the pain, somehow, because her pain hurt him. Percy reached out and enveloped her in a warm, soft bear hug.

"It doesn't matter," she whimpered. "None of it matters. You guys would move on anyways, Piper shouldn't have saved me." Percy cringed at those words, it was so untrue. His arms tightened around her. And just like that, Annabeth broke, tears sliding down her cheeks.

She sobbed into his shoulder, clutching onto him as if he was her lifeline. Her knuckles turned a pale white around the cloth.

"You weren't there," he murmured in her ear, a few drops escaping his eyes. He squeezed them shut, the burning sensation behind his eyes becoming hotter. His grip tightened around her body.

"You didn't see it. Don't tell me that Piper and I didn't sit there in those hospital plastic blue chairs, silent because God knows we couldn't think of a single fucking thing to say without feeling the emptiness without your presence. Do not tell me that Piper's lips didn't tremble when she looked in the mirror. Don't tell me that I wasn't constantly staring at that godforsaken clock, waiting. Do not tell me that Piper wasn't replaying the moment of rushing you to the hospital. Don't tell me we didn't sit on the edges of our seats, waiting for the moment we could get up and run to hug you. Don't tell me we didn't look up at each passing nurse, hoping, praying that they were the one coming to say you'd woken up. Don't tell me I didn't silently blame myself every fucking moment." His breathing was shallow.

"Don't tell me we weren't wondering what would happen to us exactly if someone walked into that hall and told us you were dead. Don't tell me Piper wasn't remembering the way the nurse's voice seemed to echo when she told her that our friend, my _manager_ , Piper's _best friend_ , was in the hospital because she overdosed, because she chose to try and kill herself," Percy's voice cracked and he took a deep breath. She was his friend too. She should've said something, why'd she have to go and do what she did?

"So don't you dare tell me you don't matter, that your death wouldn't mean anything. Don't you dare fucking say that. I don't care that the sun would rise every morning, I don't care that the seasons would still change, I don't care that the stars would still come out every night, I don't care that the Earth would still revolve. I don't care about any of it."

And then Percy really began to cry. "F-fuck," he cried. "I don't care about any of it. Without you, I don't want any of it. God why," he sobbed, crumpling completely. His arms tightened around her with every breath. The thought made tears stream down his face even faster. That was completely uncalled for. Perseus had pretty much promised himself he wouldn't cry. But here he was. Annabeth felt silent, lost in her own thoughts and her own tears.

He'd never been more thankful for her breathing. When he left later that night to go home (Piper stayed overnight with Annabeth), Annabeth was still breathing.

 _The same couldn't be said for the night he left with his mother in the hospital._

 **A/N: Once again, sorry for the wait. And sorry it's kinda depressing. It'll get better soon, (then go back to horrible lol) and then end pretty good. I hope you enjoyed it anyways. Bye~**


	11. All These Little Things

**A/N: Hey guys. I'm really sorry about not posting recently; I had a lot of competitions and homework. And yes, I realize you probably want to slap me for making the same excuse all the time: "I was busy" or "I didn't get the time." I probably deserve it too haha. Anyways, I'm sorry. Hope you like this anyways- I forced myself to sit down and write this. Jeez, I procrastinate too much...**

 **Disclaimer: All rights remain.**

She was painful; much more painful than Percy had expected because it wasn't ever supposed to be like this. She was supposed to be perfect, he wasn't ever supposed to worry about her. Annabeth was supposed to be stuck up and horrible, she was supposed to be someone completely opposite to him. But in some ways Percy can't help but see the similarities and he can't help but worry for a girl like her. No. Those were false words; there simply was _no one_ like her. How could he have been so blind? She was released from the hospital soon after, but they don't speak for some time. And it hurts.

Annabeth remembers the desperation in his voice everywhere she fucking goes and it hurts. He had been so vulnerable with his sea green eyes glossing over and it hurts because it wasn't supposed to affect him. Her only casualty was supposed to be Piper and Calypso. How did everything turn to shit so quickly? She remembers the way he'd practically begged on his knees, as if this had happened before. Maybe it had, god knows, it's not like she ever asked him. Because it wasn't supposed to be like this. They were turning into somewhat friends, acquaintances, she knew and had accepted that fact, but it was supposed to be skin deep. That way nothing would hurt if anything happened. She was supposed to berate him constantly and he was supposed to be a cocky idiot. Ever since the hospital something shifted in their relationship. Funny how one interaction could change everything.

Annabeth was like Koopa Troopa now, wandering the worlds aimlessly, a shell of a being. Athena had blamed her for landing herself in the hospital, told her to do her fucking job. Annabeth feels no sting from Athena's sharp words, she just feels an emptiness deep down, for some unknown reason. And she can't help but miss getting to tease Percy for being an idiot. She avoids him and Percy keeps his distance. And it hurts.

Percy dives into his music, immersing himself in work, drowning like she was drowning but for different reasons. Percy had been drowning from the beginning, but maybe he was a better actor than people gave him credit for. And he feels sick _without_ talking to her, but he feels sick talking to her too. He feels sick watching her hurt like this, knowing he can't do anything to help. And he almost wants to ask her if he can do anything to help but he can't because _no, Percy, you're just her acquaintance, you're not even her close friend, you're not her family, you're not her boyfriend. No, you can't ask that._ So he doesn't ask. Sometimes Percy feels angry, even at her. She's not the only one who's ever gone through hardships, but she can't just give up like this! She can't just not eat all for days and then do nothing but eat for a few days. She can't just keep worrying everyone around her so carelessly because she is ruining him, she is ruining Piper, she is ruining Calypso and she doesn't even seem to care. But eventually Percy only grows more sick and so he decides that it hurts to not see her even more than the intolerable pain of watching her be here, but not really _here._ So Percy does something about it.

Percy knocks on the door to her office, though the office was made of glass and he could clearly see her in there. If she didn't want to see her, he'd leave, it was fine; he didn't want to be _that_ guy. Steel grey eyes flicker up to meet his own sea green ones and Annabeth nods her head slightly, granting him permission to enter before looking back down at her work. Percy walks in casually, trying to pretend it wasn't awkward, that he hadn't been pathetically crying in front of her. The memory makes his chest tighten in embarrassment. Since when was he so emotional? That wasn't okay, he had to keep up his walls or she could get to close. "What do you want, Jackson?" Annabeth asks, though not unkindly.

"No hello, Chase?" Percy pouts jokingly, and he surprises himself at how easily his teasing nature comes to him. Even in times like these. Annabeth swivels around in her chair to face him and he sucks in a sharp breath. He's not sure why he did, but even if she looks like hell with strands of hair coming out of her bun and falling in her face, with dark circles under her eyes, with that slight turned down corner of her mouth, she looks fucking beautiful to him. And he doesn't know why he feels so strongly about it, but he does. And he almost says so until he realizes he can't say that, because no he doesn't notice her like that. He can't.

"Hey, Jackson," Annabeth greets him softly, "why are you here?" Her gaze doesn't pierce him like it used to because now her eyes dart around, trying to look anywhere but at him. But all he can focus on is the way her mouth is turn down and how her eyes aren't flashy and challenging, how she seems so lost. And he hates it, he hates what the world had done to Annabeth because she doesn't deserve it. So he does something, _anything,_ to get her to smile, even if it's only a half smile, half grimace, even if that smile doesn't reach her eyes. It's better than nothing, he decides. And he doesn't understand why he cares so much, but he does and he can't help it. Maybe it's because he's been there too, maybe it's because she's not the only one to hit rock bottom.

"I was wondering if I could take you somewhere after you're done with work," he says as casually as he could, trying not to shift uncomfortably when Annabeth's eyes finally land on his. The silence that follows the offer is unbearable to him and he wonders if it is the same for her. Just when he thinks she's going to turn him down and he was going to have to move on and forget her, because there was no other way around it, she speaks up.

"Sure," Annabeth says after what seems like eternity. "It's not like I had anything else this evening anyways," she continues on, as if she has to explain her reason behind accepting. But Percy doesn't even care because all he could hear echoing in his ears is her soft ' _sure'_ and it is all he can concentrate on. And it makes him happy to hear, relieves him almost, because he thought she would turn him down and he didn't think he'd be able to stand that kind of rejection. "You can come here at seven," she says. "I'm sorry it'll be so late, but I have to make up a lot of work. I hope that doesn't inconvenience your plans?"

Percy slowly shakes his head, no. "That won't be a problem," he promises and he spins on his heels to walk away. But something is different inside him now, he doesn't feel as empty as he had before that conversation. Maybe it's hope, hope for something new, for a fresh start, for a better future. A small smile tugs at the corner of his mouth and this time he allows it to consume his face and heart.

* * *

As promised, Percy is there at seven on the dot, and he's rapping his knuckles against the glass door of her office. She opens it only a second later, her desk cleared off and cleaned, her glossy black purse held in the crook of her arm allowing her to clutch her phone protectively. To anyone else she would appear perfectly put together, but Percy sees through her exterior now and he can see how tired she is, how stressed. Her lips are pursed in that way that they do when she's exhausted, her chin tilts down slightly like when she's feeling down. Percy isn't sure how or why he can suddenly notice these things, but he does. "Ready to go?" he asks gently and she looks up to see him peering back at her. Annabeth nods slightly and he can't help but allow an infectious smile to spread on his face. She offers a small weary one in return.

"You're going to love this," he promises. Percy isn't sure why he remembered this place when he'd thought of it earlier today. He supposes it's because his mom used to take him there when he felt down and seeing Annabeth down, he couldn't help but think of anywhere else more appropriate. Of course he knows it'll be closed by now, it closes at six, but he doesn't care. Maybe breaking the rules will help Annabeth feel freer- she just looks so goddamn stiff all the time now and he hates it. Percy leads her outside to his car and even holds the door open for her. Annabeth tries not to smile at the gesture, but a tiny smile flickers for just a second. She hopes Percy doesn't see, but of course he does, of course he notices every little thing about her.

 _Are we there yet?_ she asks a few times, like a child. Annabeth seems to be in a better mood now and Percy can't help but smile to himself as he taps the steering wheel absentmindedly between the stoplights. Every time she asks, he says the same thing: _Patience, Chase._ She looks out the window as they grow closer to their destination and Percy can't help but steal glances at her; he's so worried she won't like it.

"We're here," Percy announces after what seems like forever. Annabeth's mouth curves up slightly and she glances back to look at him, tearing her eyes away from the window.

"An aquarium?" she sounds amused, but delighted.

"The _best_ aquarium," Percy corrects and a bigger smile graces her features. Annabeth opens her door and steps out smoothly. Percy gets out as well and he can't help but think that if their lives were a movie, Annabeth would be the star and she'd get out of the car all dramatically, her tan legs stepping out first in slow motion. After a moment of hesitation, Annabeth leaves her purse in the car, tucking it under the dashboard. She doesn't need her phone, not now. It would be nice to be disconnected for some time. Percy keeps his phone in his back pocket, figuring it's better to keep his with him.

"Why's it the best?" Annabeth inquires as they walk towards the entrance, a few inches between them.

"My mom used to take me here often," Percy briefly explains, not really looking at her. Annabeth notices his tone and looks up at him, but he isn't looking back at her. She doesn't push.

"It's closed, you know," Annabeth points out, smirking a little, deciding to change the subject.

"Oh, I know," he responds coolly," I know someone. Don't worry, Chase."

"I wasn't worrying!" she protests, smiling (she seems to smiling a lot more now), hurrying to catch up to him, her heels clicking loudly against the pavement. Percy looks down at her, a playful look in his eyes and she just rolls her own grey orbs in response. Percy takes her around the side of the building and she follows cautiously, not wanting to trip over the gravel and make a fool of herself. He knocks against a side door and a man with dark skin, black hair, and chocolate brown eyes answers not a minute after. He looks to be only a few years older than Percy. A grin erupts on his face the second he sees Percy.

"Beckendorf," Percy greets him, a grin spreading across his own face. "It's good to see you," he says.

"You too," Beckendorf replies, his grin not fading. "So what's up?" His gaze flickers from Annabeth's back to Percy's, his eyebrow raised, looking slightly amused and... surprised to see her with Percy. Annabeth can't help but feel curious. Percy messed around with so many people, she knew, surely he'd brought at least one here some time?

"Does Chiron still work the night hours here?" he asks. Percy's known Chiron since he was little and he loves the man, but he knows Chiron is a stickler for rules and wouldn't appreciate Percy coming after hours. Beckendorf nods affirmatively and Percy pauses, licking his lips in concentration. "I need a favor."

 **A/N: Btw I changed the tense in this chapter just because it sounded better. Don't know if you noticed, but still. Also, I'm really sorry this chapter was only around average length. I was planning to make it super long to make up for my absence, but I realized I wouldn't be able to finish that longer chapter for a longer period of time, so I just decided to find a good stopping point and post already. I'm really sorry, but I hoped you liked it at least? It was mostly a filler chapter, interesting stuff will be happening in the next chapter.**

 **I also just wanted to say, I think I'm gonna get rid of my current posting schedule and I'm changing it to once every two weeks instead of once every week. It might be easier for me. Sorry. See you all in two weeks time... hopefully.**


	12. Diving Into The Deep End

**A/N: Welp. Not much to say, but I hope you like it.**

 **Disclaimer: All rights remain.**

"You're fucking crazy," Annabeth said, not looking up at Percy but instead staring at the large pool of blue sparkling water in front of them. It was darker than usually in the room, only the light of the pool illuminated the room. It was too dark to really see anything apart from their main figures, clothes, and their faces if you looked up close. Percy had spoke with Beckendorf for some time, Beckendorf agreeing to keep Chiron away from the exhibit for some time. Percy still remembered this aquarium like the back of his hand; his mother used to work here for some time. Percy knew Chiron well as well as Beckendorf and many more, but that wouldn't keep Chiron from chastising him for coming here after hours.

"I know, but you love it," Percy smirked cheekily. Annabeth looked up from where she was standing and shot daggers at her. A tingle ran down Percy's spine, but it felt good to feel something again. Even if she was borderline royally pissed at him, it was better than the emotionless ghost she'd become. Relief ran through Percy to see her feeling a bit better.

"This has got to be against the rules," Annabeth declared, peering over the edge into the water. Percy couldn't help but roll his eyes at that statement; it was such an Annabeth thing to say.

"C'mon, live a little. You won't regret it, I promise," Percy told her, peeling his shirt off and tossing it on a bench nearby. Annabeth turned to look at him and nearly choked.

" _What are you doing?"_ she squeaked and Percy couldn't help but let out a little laugh.

"Can't go in with clothes on," he smirked at her. "Like what you see?"

Annabeth instantly snapped out of it and glared at him once more. "No." She paused," besides, I'm going to drown if I go in."

"You don't know how to swim?" Percy asked, incredulity evident in his voice.

"Of course I do!" Annabeth snapped, irritatedly. "But never _with dolphins!"_ Percy simply laughed at the exasperation in her voice. He walked over the the edge of the pool, discarding his shoes and socks near his shirt and shorts, leaving him in only his boxers. Of course he had to pick today to wear boxers with little golden fish print on them. Despite the childish pattern on them, Annabeth could feel her face heating up. She averted her eyes at chose to look at the water instead.

Percy laughed out loud now, he knew he looked damn good and her reaction only fed his ego and amusement. Not hesitating, he overlapped his hands, holding his arms above his head and leaned over the edge. Percy dove into the clear pool, cutting through the water smoothly. A second later, he popped his head out and looked up at Annabeth who was still standing on the edge of the pool, uncertainty clear in her eyes.

"Come in," he called out to her," I won't let you get hurt, I promise," he said, treading the water. Annabeth swallowed, looking down at him in the water.

"There was a study recently that shows dolphins can be very aggressive!" Annabeth calls out. "This is dangerous, we shouldn't be doing this!" she hissed, fear obvious on her face. And worry too, he realized, worry for him. His expression softened a bit.

"Come on, it's not fun by myself," he said gently, clearly able to make out her lit up blue face from where he was. Percy looked to see her crossing her arms over her chest. "I won't look," he assured her, laughing, turning around and covering his eyes. He heard her shuffle around, discarding her own garments until she was standing at the edge of the water.

"It's going to be cold," he heard her complain from behind him, back on the ledge.

"Oh, just jump in," he called, his voice bouncing off the walls, but still not peeking back.

"Easy for you to say, you've obviously been here a million times," she sassed back, teasingly, he could tell.

He shrugged," my mom used to work here," he told her. "Don't tell me you're scared," Percy taunted her, trying to get her to jump in. He knew she would never admit to fear, she was too prideful to. Water flew as Annabeth jumped, seconds after he commented. He grinned to himself, he knew just how to push her buttons. "Can I turn around now?" he asked, turning to face her. Her face was red, embarrassed, but Percy acted like he didn't notice. "This'll be fun," he promised, he reached out to to take her hand, but she jerked back. She didn't like being touched. Percy kept his distance because he didn't want to be _that_ guy.

"I'm already regretting this," she sighed, but he just rolled his eyes and gestured for her to follow him. Annabeth swam next to him, clean strokes cutting through the water, but her swimming wasn't nearly as amazing as Percy's. He kept a slow pace for her, leading her to a gate in the water. He felt her tense up beside her as they approached it and he went to rest his hand on the small of her back to comfort her. Instead, his hand awkwardly hovered above her skin and then dropped back to his side.

"I _promise_ ," he repeated, looking up into her steel grey eyes. They didn't look so tough at that moment, not like her mother Athena. Percy remembered the first time he'd ever seen Annabeth standing side by side with Athena. They were nearly the same height, and though Athena had long chocolate curls often pinned up in a bun as opposed to Annabeth's golden curly locks, Percy couldn't help but think they looked somewhat like the same person. They both held themselves the same way, back straight, chin tilted up, gleams in their eyes. They both had those terrifying steel grey eyes that made Percy sort of want to melt right where he stood. They both seemed to be sizing him up, judging him, reading him like a book whenever they gazed upon him. But now, looking at her face and her wet golden curls cascading down her shoulders, he couldn't help but feel differently.

Annabeth was more human to him. She was softer, she was lighter, she was intriguing. Sometimes she reflected how he felt, and there was just something Annabeth Chase that he was drawn to her. "I don't break promises," he whispered, reaching his hand out to her. The whole environment shifted to something more intimate. Annabeth felt nervous, like she wanted to run away, but she fought the urge. She couldn't help but gravitate towards Percy.

Annabeth pursed her lips, looking at him cautiously. He was a player, a liar, she knew. But she couldn't help but feel like it was just a facade he put on for the world. In those moments at the hospital where he was vulnerable, in the moments he laughed genuinely, in those moments he peered upon the world kindly, in those moments his voice rang out with raw emotion and angelic tones, she couldn't help but feel like there was more to him. Annabeth sucked in a sharp breath and carefully placed her warm on his. She felt his fingers wrap around her hand, encasing her hand in a fuzzy warmth, a nervous energy, electricity of some sort from the contact.

His other reached out to the gate and unlocked the latch. He swung the gate open and backed up behind it, shielding Annabeth from the dolphin's splashes with his body. The dolphin swam out, gracefully and Annabeth, though she still felt fearful, couldn't help but relax slightly. She was mesmerized by the beauty of the albino dolphin and Percy glanced behind to look at her, smiling fondly at the expression of pure awe on her face. He slowly shut the gate, locking it again so it was just them and the dolphin in the pool. The dolphin swam around freely, Annabeth still admiring it from behind Percy. Her hands rested on his shoulder, peering forward in amazement.

The dolphin was absolutely breathtaking, with her milky, creamy white skin. "That is Lucy," Percy introduced Annabeth to the dolphin. Lucy didn't respond, minding her own business and choosing to ignore Percy and Annabeth for the time being.

"She's beautiful," Annabeth whispered as if all the breath had been sucked out of her.

"Yes, she is," Percy agreed, squeezing Annabeth's hand gently and then surging forward, pulling Annabeth forward with him. She jerked back when she began to realize that he was taking her closer to the dolphin. Sure, the dolphin was gorgeous, but that didn't mean Annabeth wasn't afraid to get closer to Lucy. Lucy swam towards Percy, seeing him. She clicked her teeth, making a happy sound. "Hey, Lucy," Percy whispered, petting her gently. "How's it going?" he asked gently, stroking Lucy affectionately. He'd swam with all sorts of the creatures all the time, the animals knew him. And Chiron didn't mind as long as he could supervise it. That didn't keep Percy from sneaking in swims all the time, ever since he was a little boy, but still. He'd watched Lucy grow up just as she'd watched him do the same. Her skin gleamed in the blue water.

Annabeth watched quietly, afraid to get closer, but Percy insisted. She resisted against him but Percy looked into her eyes with a knowing look. _I promise_ , he mouthed. Annabeth stopped resisting, shaking a little. Percy wrapped a comforting arm around Annabeth's waist and took her hand with his own left hand. Gently and slowly, he put Annabeth's hand on Lucy's skin. Lucy remained calm; she trusted Percy completely. Annabeth let out a breath of relief and Percy couldn't help but smile a little at that.

"Beautiful," Annabeth murmured, stroking Lucy with a little more ease now. Percy didn't let go of her, not wanting to take Annabeth out of her trance. After a few minutes, Lucy seemed to get bored and swam away. She swam away so suddenly that she startled Annabeth. Annabeth retracted her hand hastily, jumping back into Percy's chest and accidentally elbowing him in her haste as Lucy swam circles around the pool.

"Ouch," Percy grimaced as she elbowed him, rubbing his chest. "Jeez, Chase, you didn't have to elbow me," he groaned, but he smirked at her. "There's gonna be a bruise tomorrow," he teased.

"Sorry," she winced, reaching out to soothe the pain somehow, her hand splayed on his chest. He couldn't help but smirk at the gesture. Annabeth, seeing his expression, felt her face heat up and turning pink, she tried to pull her hand away. Percy quickly put his hand over hers, keeping her from pulling away.

"If you wanted to feel me up, you could've just said so," he smirked down at her, his wet black hair sticking to his forehead. Annabeth's own curls clung to her face, some drifting in a cloud in the water. Annabeth rolled her eyes, face still pink, and pulled her hand back. Percy looked amused.

"Oh, stop looking so smug, Jackson," Annabeth said, dismayed at her own face's hue. "Sorry for trying to make your _boo-boo feel better_ ," she teased. "I just didn't want you to start crying and begging me to get you an ice pack," she snorted. "Is wittle baby Jackson injured?" she teased in a baby voice.

Percy feigned hurt and put his hand over his heart. "I'm offended, Chase," he said, unable to keep from smiling a bit. Annabeth laughed as they both swam back over to the gate. Percy couldn't help but smile at how beautiful her laugh was as he unlocked the gate, watching as Lucy went back to the other pool. He locked it once more and then it was just the two of them in that pool once more.

Once Lucy was back in her regular pool, Percy turned to face Annabeth, both of them treading the water. "Thanks for bringing me out here," Annabeth said, breaking the silence, as she spread her arms, gesturing to the water.

"Don't mention it," he replied, smiling at her. "I'm glad you liked it." Annabeth kept her mouth closed, not knowing what to say, but she just nodded a little. Silence washed over both of them, but it wasn't awkward, it was intimate, close, scary in a way, but exciting, electrifying.

"You sure I didn't hurt you?" she whispered, gravitating to him. Percy simply shook his head no, mesmerized by her pink, full lips, her golden skin and her sparkling grey eyes. His own lips parted, seemingly at the same time hers did. His hands snaked around her waist, Annabeth's hands cupping his face and ultimately falling around his neck. Both their skin seemed to burn everywhere they touched, but in a good way. His smooth hands slid across her skin, pulling her closer. They both smelled like fish water and they were both soaking wet, not to mention they both had messed up hair and looked horrible, but to him she looked flawless, breathtaking, and to her he looked vulnerable, beautiful in that way he did.

Annabeth's mouth felt dry and she could feel his heartbeat beating out of his chest. As if in slow motion, Percy leaned in as she did, his eyes full of lust and something else, her eyes fluttering shut. Her lips were tingling, anticipating the contact, and he was merely a centimeter away, when he heard it. Footsteps, footsteps he recognized, footsteps that belonged to none other than Chiron. Snapping out of the trance, Percy pulled back as she jerked away from him, breathless and wide-eyed. Percy looked just as surprised, his cheeks flushed. _They'd almost kissed._ But the emotions churning through him wasn't even his biggest problem at the moment.

"Come on," Percy whisper hissed, trying to calm his heartbeat, scrambling out of the pool onto the edge. He helped Annabeth out and grabbed their clothes and shoes as quickly as he could. Annabeth took hers from his and barefoot, they ran, the distance between them very intentional from both of their parts. As they ran, Annabeth slipped her shirt back over her head. Percy managed to get his pants back on. They looked ridiculous, dressing hurriedly, faces flushed, as they escaped the wrath of Chiron. Annabeth stumbled at one point, but Percy reflexively caught her, pulling her alongside him. They burst out the side doors panting and wet. Outside under the night sky, both of them finished dressing, their hearts racing.

After a good five minutes of silence, Percy turned and looked at Annabeth. Their gazes locked and they quickly looked away from one another. "Should I call an Uber?" Percy asked after a second or two. Annabeth still didn't meet his eyes," sure." They were both clearly avoiding the subject. The Uber pulled up in ten minutes and they both got in, Percy rattling off his own address as well as Annabeth's. Annabeth looked out the window the rest of the Uber ride, but Percy snuck gazes at her the whole time. He'd almost _kissed_ her. Sure, he'd kissed her before, in that elevator, but that was different. Percy couldn't help but feel a longing in his chest to finish what they'd started in that pool, it was agony in his chest, that unfulfilled desire. But he knew he couldn't, shouldn't, and so he wouldn't. The Uber dropped Annabeth off first.

"Night, Jackson. Thanks again," she said as she stepped out of the vehicle. He just stared at her as she left, unable to even speak. He watched as she walked away into her apartment complex, disappearing into the building. The Uber pulled away, taking him back to his own apartment with Gabe. But he couldn't get her out of his mind. He couldn't stop replaying the way she had whispered and asked if he was okay, the way her bare skin had brushed against his own, the way her hair smelled like lemon, the way she'd leaned in, her arms wrapped around his neck, about to kiss him. Percy swallowed as the Uber pulled up in front of his own apartment complex. He'd just wanted to take her out tonight, cheer her up, not develop confusing feelings.

Thanking the Uber driver and paying him, he got out of the car and walked into the building. But the whole way up to his apartment and the whole time in the shower before he went to bed, he couldn't help but think of her.

Annabeth was like a drug, and Percy was addicted.

 **A/N: PS, I would just like to point out that Annabeth was right. Dolphins are major assholes, for those of you who didn't know. They're not actually super sweet and they don't develop relationships with humans, like dogs do, or like how dolphin-rescue-people movies will have you believe. But for the sake of fanfiction and plot, I would just like to ignore all of the facts, thank you very much haha.**

 **Also some myths say Athena had shoulder length golden hair and some say she had dark brown hair, so I just chose dark brown hair because I wasn't sure which one was 'correct'. Sorry if you guys imagine her a different way.**

 **Anyways, thanks for reading, hope you liked it. I'm on Spring Break right now and so I managed to update earlier. See you soon!**


	13. Perfect Imperfections

**A/N: I'm posting at goddamn 12:30am because spring break just ended so I wanted to give you guys a chapter before I go back to school. There's going to be a lot of testing when I go back so I wanted to make up for the fact that I might accidentally forget to post or not get the chance to post in the near future.**

 **I made it extra long to thank you all for so many reviews and follows. You guys are incredible and I love you all so much!**

 **Disclaimer: All rights remain.**

"Where were you?" Athena demanded, hounding Annabeth the second she entered work the next morning. "I called you about a client, expecting some papers due last night, and you didn't pick up." Her voice was cold and mean.

Truthfully, Annabeth had chose to ignore the phone call. It'd come after her little escapade with Percy Jackson. But she'd been contemplating her night with Percy Jackson and hadn't felt like ruining the feeling and adrenaline with her mother's shrill, bitter voice. Not like she was getting out of listening to that voice now, anyways. "I was occupied," Annabeth answered, an indignant expression on her face.

"Doing what?" Athena growled. "What could be so important that you would prioritize it over your work?"

 _I was running half naked through an aquarium with an artist of ours, trying to escape the wrath of his mother's former employer,_ she thought to herself, amused by thought of what the look on her mother's face would be if she said that. "Actually," Annabeth cut in," it's against work policy to assign work after 8pm. It doesn't matter what work you were trying to assign me, I would not be obligated to complete by the end of last night," she said as calmly as she could. "If you assign me it today, it's all right of course." Annabeth mentally complimented her quick thinking.

"Very well," Athena said, voice falsely calm, but Annabeth could see right through her little facade. Athena was the spawn of Satan and somehow, someway, sometime soon, Annabeth would pay for what she just said, she knew. But fuck if last night wasn't worth it. And she chided herself the whole way to work this morning while sipping her coffee. She wasn't supposed to interfere with Jackson, she was supposed to just be his manager. Nothing less, nothing more. And so now things would go back to the way they were, in her mind, because she could never fall for a cocky player like that. Not to mention, though there wasn't a strict rule forbidding in-work relationships, Annabeth knew it was unprofessional. And besides, Percy Jackson was just so... _Percy Jackson._ She was smarter that this. After endlessly berating herself for last night's almost kiss, Annabeth had gone to work.

Now Annabeth made her way to her office, sitting in her leather swivel chair and opening her emails. She sighed as she stared at the work ahead of her; there were always so many new emails in her inbox daily. Not to mention, there were 16 new emails from Athena. Warily, Annabeth opened the first email from Athena. Skimming past Athena's harsh language, her eyes landed on the loads of assignments for her to do in the email. Dread forming in her gut, she clicked on another email from Athena. Same thing: insane amount of work, all due by the end of today. Annabeth groaned, why didn't she just apologize for not responding last night? Sighing to herself, Annabeth settled into her chair. It was going to be a long day.

After Annabeth's unpleasant with her mother, she felt less than motivated to get her work done. She sorted through her emails, papers, countless documents assuming the role of a machine. And then she saw it. Annabeth had been scrolling through multiple social media platforms, checking to make sure gossip was staying on the low side or only positively sales impacting gossip was spreading across the internet. She half wished she hadn't scrolled that far, but there was no going back in time and fixing things or changing her actions. Plastered across multiple articles were pictures of Percy and her, their faces easy to recognize. Headlines were everywhere to be seen, provoking Annabeth. How could she be so stupid, how could she allow any of this to happen?

There were so many of them, too many. Pictures of Percy and her accidentally bumping each other or standing a little too close, pictures of Percy Jackson entering the hospital to visit her, so many. Annabeth felt sick. After all her efforts to keep Luke and the whole hospital situation out of the press, it was surfacing again, this time with Percy being portrayed as her... her _secret boyfriend_ or something. Annabeth's blood boiled; _this_ was how her reputation was going to be destroyed?! She stumbled out of her chair, absolutely livid. There was only one thought on her mind: she needed to put an end to all this before it could spread more. Her entire reputation, her years of slaving away for her mother to rise in her ranks, to make it to where she was today. She could practically she it all swirling down the drain, slipping right out of her finger tips. Desperation rose in her chest.

Her feet fled down the stairs, nimble, quick. She had one goal in mind, she had to tear it all apart. Annabeth would burn down the world, all the bridges they'd made together to keep what she'd made for herself. Because it wasn't just a job to her, it wasn't just dealing with her monstrous mother. It was her entire life that she'd pushed through to create when she had been so vulnerable, broken and alone so many years ago. She couldn't just let that fall through the cracks. People leave, Annabeth knew that better than anyone. But this job, this role in society she held, that rank of power, it'd never leave her if she continued to work for it. She remembered those lonely nights, she remembered the way she used to cry herself to sleep, she remembered it all as if it was only yesterday. So she had built her way up, buildings of pride, work, years of blood, sweat, and tears. She couldn't let this happen and especially not for a guy like Jackson. Her heart squeezed painfully, but only for a moment. _No feelings,_ she reminded herself. _It's your only option, just rip it off like a band-aid. Besides, he probably won't even care. It's all in your head._

So Annabeth pushed forward, practically flying down the flights of stairs- she was too impatient to wait for an elevator. Her knuckles rapped against the door of Percy Jackson's recording booth before her heart could force her brain to reconsider. Reconsider how Percy had come to the hospital to comfort her, how he'd stood up for with Luke, how he'd taken her to the aquarium, how he'd brought her to Piper's house, how he'd comforted her, how they were growing to be friends. Annabeth couldn't afford to bow down to the will of her heart, so she shut it out, focusing only on her brain, on her plan. Brilliant plans, it was what she famous for.

The door didn't open immediately so being the impatient person she was, she knocked once more persistently. Percy opened the door this time, his hair ruffled and unruly in that way it always was. It was untamable and disheveled like it was when he ran his hand through it constantly, a bad habit of his, yet endearing since he only did that when he was deep in thought. His dark eyebrows had been scrunched up, she could see the creases between his eyebrows, but his face relaxed slightly when he saw it was her. Until he saw her demeanor and the way she held herself far away from him like she had the first day she'd met him, the first few times she talked to him. Annabeth's stance was rigid and her eyes were unrelenting and hard, her lips turned down slightly.

His own clear, light, bluish green eyes she'd come to love clouded up, scanning over her. "Chase?" he asked, uncertainty laced in his usually fruity and husky voice, making it taut and strained now.

"What the _hell_?" were the words that spilled out of her mouth. Annabeth knew deep down, it was unfair to blame him for the goddamn nosy paparazzi. But that little voice that always lingered in her mind spoke up. _You told him the day you met him: a business relationship. Don't you dare chicken out now. You're right, you're always right._ But it was so hard to remain unyielding and believing in her right-ness with the way he was looking down at her.

Percy blinked at her angry tone. " _What?"_ he asked quietly, tightly. "What's wrong, what's going o-"

He was cut off by Annabeth. "What the hell, Jackson?!" her voice raised, turning angrier by the second.

"Chase, what are you even talking about?" his voice raised as well and Annabeth remembered that he was like her. He kept his secrets just like she did, he was angered just as easily she was, her perhaps just a little more. Annabeth opened her mouth to begin her explanation, but he reached out and grabbed her arm. She almost screamed at him, but he simply pulled her into the soundproof room, shutting the door behind her. Whatever she was going to say, the rest of the floor didn't need to hear it.

Annabeth clenched her right fist, left hand trembling as she slowly held up her phone shakily. Percy gave her a curious, confused look as he slowly took the phone from her. He carefully swiped and scrolled through the multiple photographs and articles Annabeth had pulled up, his eyebrows pinching as he saw more and more. His lips pursed, anger evident in expression. But not at Annabeth, at the paparazzi. The way they set up the pictures with the headlines, it was cruel to Annabeth and him, but so believable to gossip seekers. The way they presented the images made him and Annabeth seem more intimate. His mind immediately flashed back to the night before, nearly kissing Annabeth in that pool, fish water soaking them both.

"So?" he asked then, not meaning to provoke her, but unable to see why she was directing her anger towards him.

"So?" Annabeth laughed humorlessly, breathy in exasperation. " _So?_ My reputation will _crumble_ after this gets out everywhere. And what about yours, Jackson what were you thinking?! This is all your fault!"

Anger surged through Percy's veins. " _My_ fault?! How is this all _my_ fault?!" It was both of their faults. Their faults for letting it get out of hand, this strange relationship. This friendship that they should have that only seemed to grow more intimate. A fault of both of theirs. "This isn't only my fault, Chase! You are just as responsible as I am!" Percy growled, accusingly. "Don't act so innocent, god I hate it when you do that! Don't you dare act like a victim, don't you dare play the blame game!"

"I'm going to be destroyed!" she screamed then and there was something so desperate in her voice, that Percy nearly flinched back, but he managed to hold his ground. The madness, the suffering evident in her voice, it made him sick. Annabeth roughly carded her fingers through her hair. "What am I going to do?! How could you do this? Jackson, how could you?!" Her voice sounded so shaky, she was shaking. Percy nearly reached out to comfort her, but he quickly drew back. _No. She's being unreasonable. Stop it._

"News flash, Chase, this isn't the greatest thing for me either! But it will blow over, it always does. I'm a player, remember?! They'll never believe it, it'll all go away in a few weeks." He tried to remain steady, but he could feel his voice beginning to quiver with emotions as hers were.

"Maybe for you, Jackson! It won't for me, it won't- it- it-" Annabeth trailed off, trembling. "Why?!" she screamed at him, eyes full of anger seeking answers.

"Why, what?! How is my fault the paparazzi are assholes?! If I'd known, I would've paid them off, Chase, but there's nothing we can do now. Maybe call the sites and ask them to take it down for a price, but that's it! We're just going to have to deal with it now!" he said, frustrated.

"Why would you-" she gestured wildly with her hands. "Why would you comfort me, why would come to the hospital?" Annabeth rambled. "Why would you try to do any of this at all! I told you, I _told_ you! A business relationship, _business!_ And then that little stunt you pulled yesterday with- with the dolphins and in the pool- and ugh!" she screamed out of pure frustration, pulling on her hair painfully.

His eyes flashed angrily. "I'm sorry for caring!" he threw his hands up in exasperation. Why did he have to go and care, why couldn't he just hate her and her hate him, why was that so hard to do? Now they were stuck, angry at each other. "Sorry for saving your sorry ass from Luke!" he barked. He didn't mean to say it, but he did.

Annabeth never cried, she always just stormed out and came back soon later. But to leave now would allow him to win, to give him that satisfaction. Her face pinched up, cheeks flushing slightly red out of pure boiling hot, white anger. "Don't you _dare_ bring Luke into this!" she spat.

Percy laughed sarcastically. "You don't like being wrong, do you Chase? You don't like being imperfect! You want to be everyone's perfect princess, but no one's perfect and it's so fucking frustrating that you don't understand that!" his sharp words practically cut into her skin. " _You're_ the one who got drunk, _you_ were the one who pathetically let that loser feel you up. _I_ saved you," Percy said icily, the words flowing out of him like word vomit. "I shouldn't have, I can see that now. Because apparently I shouldn't care at all. So fine! I won't, it was a mistake. Sorry for caring, sorry for being evil!" he snapped.

"Shut up! Just shut up!" Annabeth yelled wildly, eyes blazing with fury. Her glare could scare off anyone in the entire world, but Percy. If anything, his glare was even colder and sharper. "You shouldn't have come to the hospital. We're coworkers, you shouldn't have come! It's your fault they got that picture!" she shot back.

"Goddamn, Chase! Goddamnit!" he hissed out gruffly. "You nearly _died,_ what did you expect me to do?! We were friends, or so I thought. Guess that was a mistake too," he stopped screaming, barely whispering the last part. The fire had diminished in his eyes, going back to the locked up, closed up Percy she'd first met. Before she really spoke with him, before she learned what an amazing person he was, before she learned how compassionate, goofy, and sweet he was.

Annabeth felt sick, regretting half the things she'd said. Percy felt no better, staggering back slightly, away from her. "Just go away," he mumbled. Annabeth's heart pounded. They were both wrong, they were both right, they both fucked up and now everything was crumbling from beneath her feet. How had everything turned to shit so quickly? Just when she thought things were getting better, the world had to crush her down. She felt as though she couldn't breathe, she didn't even really know what they were arguing about near the end. And then he was walking away from her, reaching for the door. But even in her stunned silence, tears threatening to choke her throat and roll down her cheeks, she'd be damned if she let him leave like this. Annabeth moved to the side to block the door.

Percy looked her up and down. "Get out of the way, Chase," he sighed as if he sounded exhausted. He _was_ exhausted, she was exhausting. Annabeth felt frozen in time, she couldn't move out of the way. Everything in her told her feet to remain planted and not to move an inch. Percy reached for the doorknob behind her, but she moved to cover it.

"I mean it," he muttered, not meeting her gaze, and annoyed breath escaping his pink lips. Percy reached to move her over. But seeing how he was going to leave, her heart pounded in her chest. She couldn't stand to see him leave. Not again, she couldn't be lonely again, she couldn't be left behind. There were faults in both of them, trust issues in both of them, hurt in both of their hearts, brains full of rationality, but hearts of something stronger, something more. So she swallowed her pride and stood defiantly, blocking the exist passage.

"Leave me alone," he huffed, reaching again, but Annabeth once more blocked his exit and folded her arms over her chest.

"No," she declared. He stared at her for a good minute, contemplating what to do, before frowning in annoyance. He didn't have time to deal with this.

"I'm not doing this with you, Chase, I'm not going to stand here and argue with you. Get out of the way, now," Percy said calmly, crossing his own arms over his own chest. Annabeth pursed her lips stubbornly.

"Or else?" she raised an eyebrow.

"Or I'll make you move," Percy challenged, waiting for her to move patiently instead of immediately manhandling her.

"Try me," Annabeth tested him, feeling her heart prick painfully. It hurt to argue with someone like him, it hurt even more not to apologize. But her pride stopped her from doing so, same with Percy. He couldn't apologize to her, he could apologize to anyone else, but not her, not now.

"Stop, don't do this," Percy pinched the bridge of his nose tiredly. "Not now."

"I can't you leave after what just happened," Annabeth said before she could process it. "I c-can't let you walk away like that," her voice cracked. She didn't know why she felt so strongly about it, but she did. _Please don't walk away, please don't leave me._

Percy couldn't help but cock his head to side slightly, staring her down with his hard gaze. "And who's going to stop me? _You?_ " he snorted, amused. Annabeth was tall for a female and pretty strong, but Percy was still taller and stronger. Annabeth pinned him against the wall across from the door, a spur of the moment decision, silently answering his question with her actions: _yes._ Unfortunately, for both of them they were now in a compromised situation and with all the tension between them from both last night and now their argument, they were staring stonily into each other's eyes almost like a staring competition. They stared at each other unyielding for a few moments. And then all hell unleashed. Every pent up emotion, all anger seeped out of them, all their restraint evaporated into thin air as Percy made a split-second decision, leaned in and kissed her.

It wasn't Annabeth's first kiss, _and definitely not Percy's_ , but it was nothing like they'd both ever experience before. It was desperate, passionate, rough and aggressive, and it gave them both piece of mind. The torture of keeping their distance suddenly vanished, the madness and suffering disappearing. Percy still remembered that time he'd kissed her in the elevator. But he'd been fooling around then. This, _this_ was real. Annabeth didn't know how to feel since she'd always deemed him to be a player, but now. Now her emotions swirled in her confusingly.

Percy felt breathless, he didn't think she'd actually kiss him back. He simply figured she'd shove him off or slap him, or... he didn't even know. Nothing had ever felt as relieving as this, to either of them. Percy had never been so intoxicated by a girl. It was always him in control, always him playing around with others, but now he was losing his mind, losing control. He was losing his soul, his everything, everything so controlled and calculated about him melting away as he desperately pulled for her, trying to close all space between them, though they were already pressed up against each other, as close as possible. Annabeth wasn't much better, she couldn't think straight. She always prided herself on keeping a level head, but she couldn't think, couldn't breathe, couldn't hear anything, couldn't do anything but feel the warmth spreading through both of them, their hearts beating together in unison. Like one, like a symphony. He crushed her with his energy, pinning her to the wall, her nose sliding under his, leaving both of them breathless. Percy pulled away for only a moment, neither one opening their eyes, but instead relishing in the peaceful silence. Annabeth leaned in to reconnect with him again almost immediately, she couldn't get enough, and then she realized what was happening.

Annabeth jerked back into the wall, letting go of him, her eyes flying open, her lips parted slightly. Percy opened his eyes in surprise, peering at her. Annabeth slipped out of from under him, her breath hitching. _What are you doing to me, Jackson?_ Her hand fumbled for the doorknob as she backed up, no matter how her heart protested. But her rational side had taken over her once more, as it always dead.

"I- we-" her voice caught in her words. Percy pressed back into the wall, as far as possible from her. He needed her, he wanted it so bad it hurt, but he knew...

"We c-can't," Annabeth said softly, breathing heavily as he was. "I-" she cut herself off, turned and opened the door and then run out, leaving Percy in his recording room by himself. Percy slid against the wall, falling to the ground and leaning against the wall for support. _Get out of my head, Chase! Get out of my heart, stop, please!_ He tugged at his hair in frustration. Oh, he was so addicted and so was she. This wasn't going to end well, for either of them, he knew and he was sure she knew. Percy twirled the ring on his index finger and sighed to himself, still remembering how she felt under him, reminiscing in how soft she was, how warm, how imperfectly perfect Annabeth Chase was. She wasn't perfect, like him, she was broken, like him, she was crazy, like him, she was exhausting, she drove him nuts, he couldn't breathe, couldn't think, felt a pain so bad sometimes, but fuck if she wasn't worth it.

 _"Love isn't finding a perfect person. It's seeing an imperfect person perfectly." -Sam Keen_

 **A/N: Thanks for reading, hope you enjoyed. Leave me a review if you want to; I appreciate everything, even constructive criticism. Hope you have a great day and I'll see you all soon. Bye! :)**


	14. Drunk On You

**A/N: Hope you like it!**

 **Disclaimer: All rights remain.**

Annabeth sat still while Calypso and Piper fretted about her hair and makeup. Tonight she was attending a party, but not just any party. Stone Records, Thunderworks- Zeus' company- and many more big record labels would be there, trying to sign new clients. Amateurs would be performing throughout the entire party and it would be a race to get the cream of the crop. Piper was coming as well, after all her boyfriend Jason was the son of one of the biggest record label's owners. Annabeth tried not to think about it; she liked both Jason and Piper separately, but putting them together kind of made her want to gag. They were constantly giving each other the googly eyes and Annabeth felt like she was choking from their romantic gestures.

Calypso wasn't going to the event, unfortunately. Sometimes she'd come with Annabeth to big record affairs, simply because Annabeth needed a cushion from Piper's cooing and Jason's equally sickening sweetness. But tonight, Calypso decided she'd rather stay home and watch a few movies than go out to a party she'd rather avoid. Calypso wasn't particularly fond of the sharks like Athena and Annabeth didn't even blame her.

The pit of nervousness grew in Annabeth's stomach as she sat there, Calypso chatting with Piper as Piper fixed Annabeth's hair. Piper looked absolutely fabulous and elegant. She was wearing a vibrant red, satin, off the shoulder, mermaid evening dress, with crystal beads bedazzling the train of the dress and the front. The brunette's chocolate hair was pinned in a swirly, beautiful up-do and she'd chosen the classic red lip look. The hem of the dress flared out slightly making her look even taller than she already was and of course there wasn't a hair out of place, nor an imperfection in her makeup. Piper was as close to perfection as possible, Annabeth couldn't help but think a lot of the time.

Annabeth had chosen to go with a less flamboyant color or design, she just wasn't nearly as bold as Piper. She wore a Prussian blue, A-line, princess v-neck, floor length, chiffon lace evening dress. The front had intricate silver swirls with jewels sewn on and her sleeves were sheer with the same blue lace lining it. The hem flowed out around her and she would have to remind herself to to kick and then step forward in order not to trip over the length. However, that wasn't the biggest worry in Annabeth's mind as she sat there, trying not to gnaw on her lip and ruin Piper's work. She held still as Piper's eyeliner pen came towards her eyes, not flinching. Percy wouldn't leave her goddamn mind and she couldn't help but be nervous now. He'd be there at the party, of course he was. It was for the artists that were already signed just as much as it was for the record labels.

Her heart pounded out of her chest and her brain tried to remain logical, rational. _Stop it, Annabeth. Stop thinking about it._ But how was she supposed to forget him so easily? She was forced to see Percy every day, she was forced to work with him, pretending that she hadn't been pinned against that wall under him just last week. It was so awkward now, so awkward... Her forehead creased with worry and Piper pulled away from Annabeth's face with her various tools and pursed her lips in concern. Her red, shiny nails glinted under the lights. Annabeth had zoned out and seeing her kaleidoscope eyes looking in hers so worriedly, she snapped back into reality. Calypso was looking at her in concern as well.

"Everything okay, Beth?" Piper asked gently," you look worried," she commented. Calypso's honey colored, almond shaped eyes fixated on Annabeth as well, peering at her. Annabeth met the gaze of both her best friends and contemplated telling them all that had happened. After all, Piper was in a picture perfect relationship herself and Calypso was loved by everyone because of her sweet nature. They would surely have good advice for her and Piper understood the difficulties of relationships under the pressure and watchful eyes of the public. Annabeth made a split second decision not to say anything. She could deal with this herself, she could do it herself, she could do _everything_ herself.

"I'm fine," Annabeth offered a tight-lipped smile. Neither Piper nor Calypso seemed to buy her act, but they didn't push, letting her be for the moment at least.

"Alright," Piper said gently, sharing a look with Calypso that didn't go unnoticed by Annabeth. A genuine smile spread across Piper's face as she pulled away from Annabeth. "Done," she announced, spinning Annabeth's chair around to face the mirror. The blonde-haired, grey-eyed peered at her reflection, lips parting slightly in surprise, her worries momentarily forgotten. Piper brushed a curl out of Annabeth's face and looked pleased at her handiwork.

"Piper... I- wow," Annabeth said, breathless. Of course, this wasn't the first time Piper had done her hair and makeup with the help of Calypso, but it still amazed Annabeth every time. Piper was truly an artist. She'd brought out Annabeth's best features, leaving her stunning. "Thank you," Annabeth turned around, standing out of the swivel chair and looking gratefully at her friend. Piper just gave her a little grin.

"You excited?" Piper asked, slipping on her heels, before heading towards the front door. Annabeth and Calypso trailed after her, Calypso smiling and Annabeth looking distastefully at her heels. They were so unlike her usual work pumps and so extravagant. Annabeth looked down at her dress; the hem of it hid her feet. She could very well wear sneakers and get away with it. While Piper and Calypso talked about something in their bubbly voices, Annabeth considered her pair of Vans in the corner. While other girls' feet were in torture devices, Annabeth's feet could be encased in little clouds of heaven. She pursed her lips, surely nobody would see her feet, it would be fine. Annabeth glanced at Piper's red high heels. Sure Piper looked totally badass in them, but Annabeth felt nervous even looking at Piper's choice of footwear. Of course, Piper was the most graceful fashionista there was, so she'd have no trouble rocking them and though Annabeth's heels weren't nearly as tall, they still looked slightly intimidating.

Annabeth looked back towards her comfortable black Vans with an embroidered rose on it. While Piper and Calypso were caught up in their conversation, Annabeth subtly slipped on her sneakers, wiggling her toes around comfortably in them. She dropped her hem, letting the dress folds fall down and cover her shoes. She casually inspected her feet, making sure they weren't visible. Annabeth still managed to be taller than her practically supermodel best friend so there was really nothing to lose. Annabeth grabbed her silver clutch nearby, stuffing her phone, keys, business cards, and money in. Piper delicately scooped her own red one up, just adding to her flawless look. Annabeth snapped her clutch shut and looked to Piper. Piper and Annabeth bid Calypso goodbye, then went out and hailed a cab, making their way through downtown New York to the big event. Music poured out of the building, lights flashing everywhere.

Annabeth tilted her chin up in confidence, pushing down the nervousness in her gut and stepping out of the cab after Piper. Piper and her entered the building, immediately met with the music pulsing through their hearts. The place was busy, definitely, but Piper and Annabeth still earned quite a few glances. Of course they did: Piper was definitely one of the the prettiest girls there, she always was at any event and Annabeth was known by all, just like Jason, Zeus, and Athena. Piper smiled at Annabeth kindly before wandering off on her own, probably to find Jason. Annabeth glanced at the band playing on the stage and then back to the sea of people. The band wasn't that great, she'd pay attention again when the next amateur musician came onstage. After all, she was here to sign people and keep her eyes peeled for talent. Cameras flashed throughout the place, famous singers even signing photographs, some big people being interviewed. It was one of the biggest music events each year, there was bound to be a bunch of press. Though the event was held in New York City, quite a few people flew in from Los Angeles to attend it.

Annabeth sighed, trying to weave through the crowd. When Piper walked, people cleared a path for her. She was like an angel from heaven. Annabeth... was a different case. When she walked, reminding herself not to trip: _kick, walk, kick, walk_ , people moved out of her way too. But because they feared her, they knew she was powerful, vicious and intelligent. It was a display of respect as she walked over to the other side of the large room. Piper walked gracefully, like a flower, beautiful and pretty, powerful, but in a different way. Annabeth walked with her back straight, chin up in defiance, and with a sense of importance, as if challenging anyone near her. People smiled charmingly at Piper which she returned with a dazzling beam as well, but people nodded politely at Annabeth when she walked past, and she did the same. It was just the way things were, it was just their reputations. Piper, the pretty little flower, rich and high status, perfect in every aspect. Little did people know Piper was funny, witty, smart. Annabeth was a shark, rising to the top of the industry, making her name well known, intelligent, she was someone you didn't want to mess with. But people didn't know that under her cold exterior, she was sweet, kind, and had a bubbly laugh.

Annabeth made her way to her mother's side, who was in a heated interview with a few reporters. Deciding she didn't want to be under the cameras near her mother, she found a waiter who was walking around, offering champagne. People clinked glasses everywhere, waving around champagne carelessly. Annabeth took a sparkly glass, the weight balanced perfectly around her slim fingers and shiny silver and blue Prussian blue nails. Annabeth raised her glass filled with the bubbly, fizzling, honey colored drink to her lips and took a sip, relishing the taste. It tasted like hope, power, dreams, it tasted like the stars. Though it wasn't her first time tasting champagne, she let the taste linger. "Thank you," she said politely to the waiter, looking up and catching the eyes of a few other powerful businessmen, to whom she nodded politely. She constantly reminded herself that everyone's eyes were on her, they were on anyone. So she kept her chin up, managing to look elegant and proper, just like her mother.

Her eyes scanned the room, locking with the gaze of another big name. Annabeth strode across the recently waxed floors towards a girl, only slightly shorter than herself. She greeted the other woman with a curve of her lips. "Hey, Silena" Annabeth breathed, seemingly more relaxed in the presence of the other girl. Silena Beauregard's shiny black hair cascaded in elegant curls down her back and shoulders. She wore a sleeveless sea foam green colored silk evening gown that flared out at the bottom. Her bright blue eyes lit up once she saw Annabeth. Selena, like Piper, was always one of the most gorgeous, elegant people in existence. She offered Annabeth a smile as well, her pink lips curving kindly.

"Annabeth," she smiled, politely. "How's it going?" she asked casually. That was Annabeth's favorite thing about Silena. Silena may have been a big shot model and everyone's sweetheart, but she was casual when she wanted to be, down-to-Earth. She too had an incredible relationship with a man named Charles Beckendorf, a tough, yet sweet guy. Annabeth laughed breathlessly.

"I already want to leave," Annabeth admitted, with a genuinely amused smile gracing her features. Silena laughed lightly and patted Annabeth's shoulder in understanding.

"Me too," Silena agreed, her eyes smiling as well as her mouth. She was so genuine, always. And she made others around her just as genuine. They both glanced at the stage, the next singer and her band coming on stage and beginning to sing. They were good, but still not sign-worthy. "How are you doing?" Silena asked, taking a sip of her champagne and glancing towards Annabeth, a hint of concern in her voice. She knew about the hospital, she knew how horrid Athena was, she knew it all because she was a close friend of Annabeth's.

Annabeth sighed," I'm holding on," she said gently. Silena nodded slightly and reached forward to give Annabeth a hug. She was one of the few people in the world who could give Annabeth a hug without her rearranging their face. Annabeth squeezed tight, feeling slightly better after Silena's hug. Silena could make anyone feel better about anything, she was just like that, same as Calypso.

"It'll get better soon, hopefully," Silena added, putting her hand over Annabeth's as an act of comfort as they pulled away from each other.

"Well, here's to hoping," Annabeth agreed, raising her glass though both Silena and her had already taken a sip or two from their drinks. In fact, Annabeth's was nearly empty. She hadn't realized just how much she'd consumed. They clinked glasses, taking a sip afterwards. Someone caught Silena's eye and she bid her goodbyes to Annabeth, before moving over to chat with a few other people. Annabeth sighed and put her empty glass down on a counter and reached for another one off another tray. Annabeth soon caught the gaze of Jason Grace himself and made her way over to talk with him.

Jason greeted her amiably and they spoke for some time, talking about work mostly. Finally, their conversation died down and Annabeth let him know Piper was probably looking for him, so she excused herself. By then, Annabeth had finished her second glass of champagne. She knew champagne made you drunker faster, so she tried to pace herself, but she just couldn't help it. The only way she could be here with all these people and cameras and stay sane, was to be at the least a little tipsy. Annabeth grabbed her third glass off another waiter's tray and spun around carefully, making her way towards the stage to watch some of the amateurs. She'd alerted her mother of a singer just earlier and signed the girl immediately, so Annabeth wasn't optimistic that she'd find another artist she'd like just as much, but she'd still try. After all, that's what she was there for. A hand tapped her on her shoulder, so Annabeth turned to face the person, preparing herself to make conversation, but she was surprised when she saw who it was.

"Jackson?" Annabeth looked at the green-eyed boy, unable to disguise her surprise. They were both so awkward these days and with her being slightly tipsy, it only made the nervousness in her sky rocket. Annabeth swallowed down the anxiety with a sip of champagne and offered him a smile, though it was forced. Her heart began to beat wildly and she internally groaned. _Stop it, Annabeth, just stop. He's just a guy, he's just any other artist, he just happens to be signed to Stone Records._ Percy looked unsure himself, Annabeth noticed. His Adam's apple bobbed slightly and he rubbed the back of his neck slightly, holding his glass of champagne near him, signs of nervousness. Maybe he wasn't as immune to her as she'd previously thought.

"Hey," he nodded towards her, his eyes raking her body as if on their own. "You look nice," he complimented, looking back up and meeting her gaze.

"Thanks, so do you," Annabeth said politely. And he did, her mind reconfirmed. Percy was dressed in a black tuxedo with a white shirt in the inside and a black tie. His hair was as tamed as it could be, which wasn't a lot, but that slightly messy look suited him. His sea green eyes were bright, hiding his nervousness easily. Part of her wanted to ruin the friendship and just cross the line. He looked so good it hurt. Annabeth sipped her champagne, wincing a little.

"Thanks," he said gently, eyes flickering up to the band. "They're pretty good," he said finally, pushing through the awkwardness.

"Yes, they are," Annabeth agreed," but not good enough," she added, sighing a little. Percy shrugged a little.

"Fair enough," he admitted. "They're much too mainstream," Percy critiqued. Annabeth looked a little surprised, trying to ignore her slightly foggy mind now. She hadn't though he'd know why she said they weren't good enough. After all, their music was enjoyable and even good.

"Exactly," Annabeth nodded towards his comment, eyes scanning him again, as if reevaluating him, like she had that night at the aquarium, like she had that night in the hospital when he'd poured his heart and soul out.

"I think I'm finally adjusting to the music industry," Percy said, seemingly not seeing the look on her face. His eyes were still glued to the band. Adjusting was the biggest understatement of the year. Percy was constantly topping charts and gaining one of the biggest crowd of followers. Annabeth rolled her eyes, sipping on her third glass. Her insides were starting to feel drunk and giggly. She smiled sweetly, a smile that was only ever on her face near people she was most comfortable with when she was in the best moods ever. She felt relaxed, nervousness disappearing.

"Oh, please," she fought a smile, but couldn't help it. The champagne was getting to her. "You were practically born to be here," she snorted, dipping her lips down again to let the drink slide down her throat. Percy swallowed, smiling a little as well, he couldn't help it. He was on his fourth drink and he was pretty giggly and drunk too. The lipstick coloring her lips had rubbed off on the glass a little. A few hairs had fallen out of her up-do and into her face. She looked so nice it hurt. He wanted to ruin her pretty girl image, he wanted so much more. His heart pulsed, his fingers twitching with need.

"I hate champagne," he blurted suddenly, laughing a little.

"Really?" Annabeth grinned, trying to stay sane. Percy nodded, bobbing his head. He licked his lips, carefully.

"It tastes horrible," he laughed. "Besides, I don't really like alcohol."

" _Really?"_ she couldn't disguise her surprise once again. He nodded once more, but not explaining why he didn't like alcohol. "How many glasses have you had?" Annabeth laughed.

"My fourth one," he said, raising his glass.

"I thought you said you hated it," she giggled now.

"I do," he said, as if that explained everything. "How about you?"

"Third one," she laughed, letting another loose giggle out. The mood shifted between them, no longer awkward, but filled with giggles and smiles in their drunken states. There were no more boundaries between them anymore; alcohol had lifted all the walls, leaving them vulnerable to each other. "About the other day," Annabeth began, finishing off her third drink. She tried to remember what had happened last week, tried to remember what she wanted to say. "Sorry I ran out on you," she finished, her words slightly slurred.

A flash of hurt washed over Percy's face, but he, like her, was drunk as well. "It's fine," he mumbled, midway through his fourth drink. His hand was shaking slightly, so he set his glass down. He couldn't stand it anymore and neither could Annabeth once her gaze locked with his. They were drunk, sure, but they both knew what they were doing. They both knew they'd regret it in the morning, they both knew they shouldn't, they both knew they couldn't. But suddenly none of it mattered anymore. The need in their hearts and minds was overbearing, so they didn't care. "Want to get out of here?" Percy offered, a smile returning to his face. Annabeth reflected the same smile, all her resistance against what she wanted crashing down. She grabbed his outreached hand, her hand fitting perfectly in his. He pulled her along with him, both of them slipping out into the night.

They both slid into the backseat of an Uber and all their walls come tumbling down. The pain of the awkwardness through the week seeped out as Percy captured her lips. The color on her lips smudged slightly messily, a little bit even coming off onto Percy's lips. He didn't care and neither did she as they both pulled for each other, trying to close a space that didn't exist between them. The building had been so warm and a few of Annabeth's curls had fallen out of her hairstyle and were sticking to her forehead. Percy leaned forward and pulled out the pins Piper had so carefully put in her blonde curls. Her hair came tumbling down around her, making her look even messier. Percy fucking reveled in it though. Their mouths slid against each other so ungracefully. Fuck carefulness, fuck caution, fuck it all. He'd tried so hard through the week to contain himself, she'd tried so hard to keep herself together, but who even cared anymore?

They somehow managed to get their way up to Annabeth's apartment albeit stumbling and tripping. Annabeth pushed him onto her bed and he didn't say anything. Their breath was hot against each other and they pulled away for just a millisecond, gazing into each other's eyes, confirming what was about to happen. Percy was sure, his heart was past caring what his brain struggled to say at that moment, so he hesitantly looked at Annabeth. Her eyes flickered, for just a second, but then she let out a breath, relaxing. She nodded slightly, a tiny 'please' leaving her pink lips. He could barely make out her eyes and figure in the dark, but he heard it, it practically echoed in his ears.

Percy consumed her like an animal, not looking back, not thinking because he couldn't anymore. And neither could she. Annabeth pressed her palm to his warm chest, shutting her eyes and not allowing herself to think about how she'd regret this come morning. She pushed, meaning to push him down onto the bed, but must've accidentally hurt him or something because he hissed out a slight _ow_ and grit his teeth. "Sorry," Annabeth said, drawing back in apology, lust not forgotten, but temporarily put on hold.

Percy waved off her concerns and continued to consume her, drinking in her intoxicating scent, the curve of her hips, the softness of her mouth on his, the spring of her curls, the little gasps that escaped her parted rosy lips, the smoothness of her tan skin. Annabeth still felt a bit guilty for hurting him and she almost wanted to ask, but decided against it and continued to run her fingers through his raven black unruly hair- more unruly now that her fingers had been messily combing through them. She reveled in running her finger across the tattoo on his chest, she relished hearing his breath so close to hers, she savored the way he was so graceful like a dancer, she admired the way he seemed to lose control and become more vulnerable than she had ever seen him, she cherished his rough fingers pressing into her hips, knowing tomorrow there would be beautiful little blue bruises peppered along her neck and waist and _everywhere._ Annabeth tasted like champagne but Percy could've cared less because all he could think was _finally._ And he could breathe again, with her here, without having to be excessively formal, polite, and professional. He felt free, she felt free, because it was _finally_ for both of them.

They pulled each other closer because nothing was ever close enough, no matter what. And Percy had been with so many girls in his lifetime, never dated, but touched, but nothing was ever like this. He didn't touch them like he touched her, he didn't care for them like he cared for her, he didn't want them like he wanted her, he'd never want anyone like he wanted her. Percy didn't _need_ them like he needed her; he needed Annabeth like he'd die without her. Perhaps he would. How had everything escalated so quickly?

He drank her in like she was the last drop of water in a desert he'd been wandering his whole life, he pulled her towards him like she was a ray of sunlight hidden in the dark for too long, he treated her like a glass figure, afraid to spoil everything and shatter everything, to ruin everything. And for a moment, just a moment he thought she was delicate, but then he remembered that Annabeth was _strong._ She was stronger than anyone he'd ever met, and he couldn't help but think she was like him. Percy had never felt this full, it was always a lonely feeling, but not with her. Never with her. He didn't know if it was god forbid _love,_ but he was addicted to whatever this was. She was always so poised, so perfect, so unattainable, but seeing her so vulnerable brought out some sort of beauty in her he figured others ignored or looked over. Annabeth was so goddamn beautiful, but it didn't hurt this time like it used to. It didn't hurt because even if in the morning, things turned to shit, she was his for just this moment, if anything, and he was hers.

 _Just one time_ , Annabeth told herself, knowing full well this could never happen again. But she loved this _feeling,_ this feeling she didn't know how to describe, couldn't even begin to explain. Annabeth kept her eyes closed, not because she couldn't bear to look at him, in this moment she felt she could gaze upon him forever, but because she didn't even need to see to feel everything inside her.

And when that moment of infinity finally ended, Percy was exhausted and she was too. Maybe they were drunk and maybe they had done something regrettable, but in that moment they felt on top of the world. Because they were. And at that moment of utter and complete exhaustion, Percy knew he was only physically worn out, but emotionally attached. It scared him, badly, because it was never supposed to be like this. Annabeth was supposed to be a one night stand, she knew it and so did he. Percy glanced at Annabeth all curled up under the covers. Her eyes were slowly drifting closed, she was exhausted. Percy never spent the night with girls. Part of him wanted to now because Annabeth wasn't just some girl, but deep down he knew that would make their morning regret even worse, so he decided to rip the band-aid off quickly and as soon as possible.

Percy reached for his shirt and Annabeth just watched him. The drunkenness was starting to wear off a little, replaced with a pounding headache, but the logical side of her mind allowed her to see it. Annabeth almost wished she hadn't seen it at all and part of her figured she'd imagined it, but then she remembered how he'd gritted his teeth when her hand pressed to harshly against his chest. It'd been dark that night in the pool, so she hadn't saw and it was dark now, but she caught a glimpse of it just before Percy slipped his shirt over his head, scooping up his jacket and putting his pants and boxers back on. It was blue and black with red blood spots dotting underneath the surface of his tan skin; a purple ugly bruise, and it looked fairly fresh too, only a day or two old. Annabeth swallowed thickly, trying to convince herself she'd imagined it. She was imagining things, right? It was the alcohol, right? Or the fact that she hadn't slept yet? Of course it was just that. Percy would have told her if something happened, she knew. Or hoped.

Percy didn't notice she saw the bruise so he continued on his way. The light of his phone illuminated his face as he called for an Uber. Annabeth didn't say anything, she knew it was only smarter that he left now rather than he spend the night. But she was too busy focusing on the bruise she'd seen, starting to feel a bit sick.

Percy never spent the night with his one night stands, drunk or not. He didn't love them, he didn't know them, so he always left before it felt like a commitment. But now he hesitated as he made his way towards the front door of her apartments Annabeth watched him leave the bedroom and heard the front door shut behind him as he made his way out into the night. The inky canopy of endless abyss with tiny freckles of sparkles above him proved just how late it was. Percy reached his home and crashed near immediately after locking his bedroom door, slipping into dreams full of his past.

The feeling of infinity had faded and the sickening feeling of seeing that bruise only grew in Annabeth's stomach, not to mention the growing hangover wasn't exactly helping. Feeling horrid and absolutely dreading facing him and the rest of the world tomorrow, Annabeth drifted off herself, wondering if a boy with bright sea green eyes was thinking of her.

 **A/N: It was much longer than my other chapter simply because I couldn't find a good stopping point for the life of me. But** **I hope you liked it!**

 **Also, I don't know fashion haha, so I found images online of the dresses to describe for this chapter. I didn't know if you guys were curious or whatever, but I know some authors add reference pics in their author's notes for their readers. Because fanfiction never lets me put links in, you'll have to search it.**

 **-Annabeth's dress~ Google:** **A-Line-Princess-V-Neck-Floor-Length-Chiffon-Lace-Evening-Dress JJS House**

 **It will probably be the first result, but if not look for a blonde model wearing a dress similar to what I described in the chapter.**

 **-Piper's dress~ Google:** **fashion-red-2016-mermaid-evening-dresses-beads-crystal-long-prom-formal-celebrity-gowns-dresses-off-shoulder-satin-train-party-dresses Weddbook**

 **It'll probably be the first result once again, but if not look for a brunette model with a red crown-like thing in her hair.**

 **ANYWAYS, hope you liked the chapter and see you soon! Bye :D**


	15. Even If The Crown Slips

**A/N: Hey guys! I was just checking and apparently I just hit over _100_ follows! You guys are honestly the best thing ever, thank you so much! Unfortunately, I had already edited this chapter way ahead of time because I knew I would be out of town for last weekend, so this chapter is shorter and not as exciting (this is more like a filler chapter) as I'd like for a over-100 followers chapter. But, to thank you all for your amazingness (yes, :) I know that's not a word), I'll try to go back in and extend chapter 16 for length.**

 **aaquater: I don't usually respond to reviews because I feel like you guys don't want to read through me talking forever lol. But since you asked a question, I decided to speak up haha. No, you're not off, she just didn't catch on to what he was really talking about. I'm sorry if I didn't make that clear! I'll try to be more specific in the future to avoid any confusion. :)**

 **Anyways, without further ado, here's the next chapter. I hope you like it!**

 **Disclaimer: All rights remain.**

It's official, Percy Jackson was going crazy. He couldn't get her off his mind, no matter what. He'd record all day and night to get his mind off her, he'd go to clubs endlessly and pick up new girls, but all he could do was silently compare all of them to Annabeth and none of them even held a candle to Ms. Chase. It wasn't just awkward every time they ran into each other or god forbid had to discuss things together, they were after all, working together professionally, it was _torture._ Percy couldn't help but wonder if she felt the torture like he did, the piece of his brain eating itself out.

He itched to touch her, to hold her, to be near her. God, he'd give anything for just one more time. Percy would do anything to have her whimper his name in those whispers, _Percy, Perseus,_ like she did, her nails scraping down his back hungrily and digging into his shoulders, leaving painful but beautiful vertical scratches down his back as her back arched under his hand. He'd do anything to see her eyes rolling back and losing control, to hear her breathy gasps as his teeth grazed her soft figure in that way where she is his and he is hers. In a way where their hearts beat together as one. He remembered her sneakers peeking out from underneath her dress as the fabric bunched up, sliding smoothly off her skin.

 _'What?'_ she'd murmured, when he had paused, an amused smirk displayed on his face.

 _'Vans? Really?'_ he'd drawled lazily, a fond smile sneaking up onto his face. Annabeth's face had heated up, flushing adorably. She'd opened her mouth to protest, but Percy had cut her off.

 _'Only you,'_ he'd said, affectionately, putting his palm against her skin, causing her to shiver involuntarily.

Just the memory made his heart race, his core feel warm from remembering her pink-tinted face. It was such a small thing, the way she blushed, how rare it was to make her blush, but it was engraved in his mind as if it was part of him too. Because it was.

He had gotten addicted to her, to her habits, to everything that came with her, and there was no going back now; Percy was utterly and irreversibly a mess. He couldn't help but wonder if he'd been inevitably fucked the day he laid eyes on her, those elevator doors sliding shut between them, hopelessly dividing them. Not that it had been so dramatic back then, but now it might as well have been. He reached for her like an addict reaching for a drug they promised to never touch again. It consumed his every thought, it consumed _him._ Percy felt like he was drowning underwater, he felt like he was dying, honestly. And it scared the shit out of him.

Annabeth thought about that night all the time, sure, just as he did, and deep down she wanted it again, but she'd never admit to it. She was a proud woman and he was supposed to be a one night stand, so that's all he'd be. The only thing she thought of more than that night, was the bruise she'd seen. She knew her mind hadn't made it up, it had to be real, _it had to be._ She wanted to ask, but no she couldn't. Sob stories were for one night stands only and in a way, he wasn't even a one night stand if she saw him every day. She didn't know, the whole thing was gnawing on her insides, making her worry. Worry for him with his bruises, worry for her reputation, worry for all that had been put at stake because of her reckless and careless choices.

Annabeth resided in her office, snacking on a few honey nut cheerios; she was clearly in a tense mood. She hadn't spoke to Percy in days. After their intimate night, they'd spent a few days awkwardly pretending to move on at work, but now it seemed neither of them even bothered. They just simply kept to themselves, refusing to admit to themselves that were completely and totally avoiding each other like cowards. But now was another of those dreaded moments when it didn't matter whether Annabeth wanted to face him or not (or vice versa) because they had business to discuss. Crunching on the cereal, Annabeth reached for her intercom. She swallowed the cereal and pressed the button, requesting her assistant to summon Percy Jackson up to her office.

Minutes later the dreaded knock came at the door. His knock was just as confident as usual, but she could tell he was faking it. And so was she, so she said nothing. Lost in her thoughts, Annabeth didn't answer immediately, so he opened the door, letting himself in and closing the door behind him softly. Annabeth's eyes flickered up to his eyes and she fought the urge to look away. His own gaze was just as challenging after his orbs finished darting around the room. "Please, sit," Annabeth gestured to the chair across from her and her desk. Percy warily sat down, a look of confusion on his face... mixed with something else. "What?" Annabeth asked, curious.

Percy pointed to her fingers, seemingly trying to get words out and failing. "A- I- are you eating _cheerios?_ " the incredulity was obvious in his voice and he wore an expression of bewilderment. He didn't know what to expect really, but certainly not proper and poised Annabeth Chase munching on cereal like a casual, young child. He figured she was the type to eat a bunch of apples or something.

Annabeth's darted down to look at her hand that was currently clutching a couple cheerios. "No?" Annabeth said hesitantly, slipping them back into the cereal box and trying her best to nonchalantly slide the box back into one of her drawers. It sounded more like a question than a statement.

"And you keep it in your _desk?_ " Percy wondered, staring at her in a nonjudgmental way, but definitely in surprise. "Do you do this often?" he inquired, his mouth curving up slightly.

"Shut up," Annabeth muttered, answering, a blush rising high on her cheeks. Despite himself and the lingering awkwardness of the crazy situation they'd shared just a few nights ago, Percy found himself laughing lightly a bit. "I eat cereal when I'm nervous," she said, not meaning to let it slip. Percy paused at that, but continued on as if it was all normal and that she wasn't dreading this and nervous because of him.

He smiled at her, a real smile, a smile she hadn't seen in so long since she'd stolen it away, since she suspects the world had stolen it away. Annabeth wondered how young he'd been when it had vanished; she still remembered how young she'd been when it disappeared. "You're truly one of a kind, Chase. I eat blue chocolate chip cookies when I'm happy," he told her, amusement lingering in his eyes. She fought a smile on her face and for a moment, it almost seemed back to normal. Percy smiled a big, familiar smile, making her heartbeat double; her insides felt all warm and fuzzy.

" _Blue?"_ she asked, taken aback. Her smile tugged at her face. Percy just nodded a bit, kind of expectantly waiting for her. Picking up on his vibes, Annabeth then added," I enjoy strawberries when I'm in a good mood," she shared.

Percy groaned then. "I knew it! I knew you would be the type to like fruit," he groaned some more. "So damn healthy," he shook his head at her jokingly, as if she was a lost cause. "You make the rest of us look bad for enjoying things that are horrible for us," he laughed a little.

"For your information, I actually eat soft pretzels when I'm feeling down," Annabeth interjected. "So I'm not completely devoted to fruit," she added. Percy eyed her carefully after that statement, as if re-evaluating her.

"I didn't know that," his voice was soft and he dropped her gaze, clasping his hands and placing them carefully in his lap. Percy didn't like that she felt down sometimes, he knew it was only normal that people felt sad sometimes, but Annabeth was so beautiful and he just didn't want to ever see her eating a soft pretzel. Annabeth swallowed thickly, letting her eyes wander down to her desk. Why did she have to go and bring up her feelings? Her fingers absentmindedly reached for the stack of papers on her desk, curling the corner of the paper awkwardly.

The papers were almost perfectly lined up and put in order by date; only Annabeth would have such a perfect, neat office. Perhaps that's why she always felt uncomfortable when in Percy's office, it was just so messy. Or perhaps it was because it belonged to him and she could practically see his soul through his decor. That easygoing vibe really set her on edge. Annabeth shifted in her seat, uncrossing her legs and putting her right leg on top this time. Sometimes she wondered why she felt the urge to keep everything perfectly. It wasn't a disorder really, it was just emotional for her. Her apartment was the same: flawless. She just felt that even if everything in her life went wrong, even if everything else in her life was chaotic, her place, her office, her apartment, her space could always remain calm. It was a soothing thought.

"Anyways," Annabeth begun," I called you here because another company rung me up with an offer." Percy's shoulder seemed to relax a little at the change of the topic. "This company has asked if you'd be interested in doing a photo shoot for the holidays," she said. Percy's shoulders tensed up again. "It's almost Christmas, as you know," she explained, Percy's odd behavior not going unnoticed by her hawk eyes, but it's not like she was acting completely normal either. At the mention of Christmas and the holidays, her own body betrayed her, becoming rigid. "All the proceeds go to orphanages," Annabeth continued," and I just thought it'd be a nice surprise for them. Not to mention, it'll help build your platform."

Percy was paler than normal and he felt uncomfortable. "I'd- I- I'd rather not," Percy mumbled, not meeting her eyes, but he definitely felt her gaze harden on his face.

"What?" Annabeth paused. "Why not?" Her tone was anything but understanding. Percy didn't think he'd ever her sound like anything besides intimidating. "Are you honestly declining doing something as easy as being _photographed_ to help _orphans?_ " the incredulity in her voice was evident. Percy didn't blame her, it _did_ sound bad. But he hadn't meant it like that. Annabeth scoffed in disbelief. Sure, she knew Percy Jackson was a player among a million other things and she knew firsthand he was a bit of a cocky asshole, but she honestly wouldn't have thought he was this shitty of a person.

"No!" Percy interjected,"that's not what I meant." His voice was taut, his expression pained. But Annabeth could care less now.

"Are you saying you give zero fucks about orphans?" Annabeth spat, angrily. Maybe her moods changed quickly or maybe she just wanted to yell at Percy. Maybe she was angry at him for making her feel the way she did. "I can't believe this. I can't believe even _you_ would be so selfish-"

He cut her off," you _know_ that's not what I meant, Chase! I just don't like photo shoots, they make me uncomfortable." Annabeth's face scrunched up.

"They make you _uncomfortable_?" A sarcastic laugh erupted from within her and the sickening feeling in Percy's chest only grew. "Oh, god, Jackson, I'm _so sorry,_ " she said nastily, her eyes blazing with fury. "I didn't realize how _hard_ photo shoots must be," the words began to come out like word vomit. "I forgot how _easy_ it is to grow up parent-less, poor, and alone. But of course, _I'm so sorry,_ I forgot how none of that matters because lord have mercy a photo shoot makes you uncomfortable!"

Percy quickly grew angry, himself. How dare she judge him and jump to conclusions so quickly and so easily. "I still want to help, I just don't want to do a-" this time she cut him off instead.

"You know what? Forget it," she snapped. "I'll just get my other clients to do it. They wanted a few of Stone Records's artists to participate. Don't act like you're so important, they can do just fine without you. Probably better, in fact," she muttered the last part under her breath. "You can leave."

"What?" Percy asked, disguising his hurt.

"I said leave," Annabeth snapped. "Get out of my office. Go record your shitty, shallow songs or whatever you have to do. It's more important, anyways." Her tone was clear.

Percy tried to reason with her. He'd write a song for the orphans or other things, he still wanted to help. "Look, I-"

"-I said get _out_!" her eyes shot daggers at him. But she wasn't even mad at him, because deep down all this did was confirm her doubts in the back of her mind. She was mad at herself. How could she have not noticed earlier?

Percy looked at her, a hurt so deep in his eyes. It was only there for a second, then his eyes went back to normal and he turned, walking away. Annabeth stared at his back as he left, her chest tightening. She wanted to call back for him, let him know she knew, there was no point in hiding it anymore, but her voice failed her. She felt it was just easier to hurt him than to speak of the truth with Percy. Annabeth watched his back disappear, the door softly clicking shut after him.

Annabeth never cries, she always just storms out when she's angry. But how could she storm out now? Who would she even storm out on now, herself? After all, there was nobody she was angrier at the moment than herself. So Annabeth put her head down on her desk, resting her face in her arms and took a deep breath of complete and utter exhaustion. And oh she's heard it a thousand times, 'chin up princess, or the crown slips,' but what if the crown's too heavy? What if the metal is weighing her down now? What if she just doesn't have the energy to hold it up anymore?

So for the first time in years, Annabeth allows a few tears to fall.

Percy's heart felt heavy as he walked out of that room. He wanted to explain, he wanted to explain so bad because he couldn't stand to see her so mad at him, not like this. This kind of pain was a burden to him. The whole idea filled him with a bitterness he couldn't even begin to explain. He barely knew this girl but he wanted nothing more in this world than to make up the pain he'd caused her. Of course she'd lashed back, who wouldn't? He just couldn't do the photo shoot, he wouldn't. But this was hardly about the photo shoot now, it was personal.

Percy wanted to curl up in a hole and die. All he had to do was explain it to her. Percy walked down the street as he thought, after pushing out the front door. She'd understand, he knew she would, he _knew_ her, knew her better than she thought. He understood her better than he'd ever hope to understand himself. And then he heard it. Percy was 99.9% sure he imagined it, he could practically hear her voice in his head all the time anyways. Now would be no different, except it was because he wasn't imagining it. The third time he heard her call his name, Percy spun around, feeling dizzy. Even in his head, her voice was never so vivid. His eyes widened as he saw Annabeth barreling towards him.

"Jackson!" her voice was breathless and the desperation in it was so obvious it would've pained him more to ignore her. Not to mention, Percy had to no will to ignore her. He was utterly and completely fucked the day he met her, he can't help but think. He'd been made for her since the day he was born and he could pretend to deny it all he wanted, but nobody could make him fucking melt with a smile, nobody could make him feel smaller than her scrutinizing gaze, nobody could do anything to him so extremely like she could. He'd never needed someone like he needed her because he knew she'd understand, she already understood, she always had. She was like him. And that was enough to give him peace of mind, enough that he went crazy when he wasn't with her.

Annabeth panted slightly from running to catch up with him, he had such long strides, longer than hers despite her taller-than-average height. Percy pinched the bridge of his nose; she was so frustrating, so confusing. It was hurtful, her being teasing one moment, and then speaking to him with venom the next. It was painful, it was confusing, he was losing his mind and he wasn't sure how much longer what was left of his sanity would last. "I know," she breathed.

Percy didn't say anything, he was simply confused. "You- you what?" He sighed tiredly, Percy didn't realize how fucking tired he was, how tired he was of all this shit. "Why the fuck are you here, Chase? What- it's cold outside. Go inside, Chase." Annabeth's jacket was haphazardly tossed over herself as if she'd ran out in a rush, a few baby hairs had fallen out of her usually perfect bun, framing her face, and her cheeks were pink from the cold. Percy couldn't help but adjust her coat to keep her warm.

"I know," she murmured, something like half-sob, half-laugh of fucking insanity- like him. Percy realized the pink in her cheeks was not just from the cold; her eyes were slightly puffy too and her nose was pink. Annabeth looked like she'd been crying and it tugged at Percy's gut. He'd never seen her cry, he'd began to think she never would. Crying girls were his kryptonite, or so he'd thought. He'd always felt like their tears were manipulating him, but not now. All he felt now was true heartstrings tugging, it wasn't like those fake-crying girls he half wanted to comfort, but knew he shouldn't even bother with. Percy swallowed thickly, his chest feeling tight. "I know, I know, I know," she murmured, repeating the two words, almost like a prayer. "I'm so sorry, I knew, I know, I- I know," her breath was on his.

"I know," she said, and it sounded like a vow, like a promise when she said it then, her grey eyes softening not in pity, but almost in understanding when they lock with his roaring sea green ones. Then her nose slid under his and her fervent mouth pressed on his in desperation. Percy wanted to push her away, he wanted to tell her off. To say no, you can't kiss me no, not when you hurt me so, not when you keep messing with my emotions like this, no. But he couldn't, he just can't anymore and he wouldn't trade heaven or hell for this moment. His mouth moved against hers, almost like a promise back to her.

'I know,' her lips said.

And 'I'm sorry,' his seemed to reply.

A hurricane could have washed over them, an asteroid could've struck Earth, or a tsunami could've swept them away and Percy wouldn't have moved his hands off her hips or his lips off her own. Because in that moment, that infinity that had been broken just the other night was back and it burned brighter than ever.

Perhaps her crown slipped for just a second, perhaps he lost his crown so long ago, but deep down some way, by heaven or hell, something had brought their blood together, their pain together, their hope together, their hearts beat together, uniting as one.

 **A/N: Yeah, I know it's kind of short, especially after the last chapter. I'm sorry, but I just really wanted to use this as an ending spot because the next scene would probably be too long to fit into this chapter. I hope you enjoyed it, leave me a review if you want. If not, that's cool too. See you all soon!**

 **BTW I read the third TOA book: The Burning Maze and finished it the same day, and if anyone else wants to grieve with me about it, feel free to shoot me a pm. None of my friends have finished it yet and I desperately need to mourn with someone :( (No spoilers in the reviews down below please guys. I hate when people spoil things for me, don't do that for anyone else, thanks!)**

 **(P.S. Thank you all so much for the follows, favorites, and reviews :D You guys are the best.)**


	16. Spilling Secrets

**A/N: Hey guys! :) Here's the next chapter; enjoy! (Though it gets slightly depressing...[though I'm sure some of you guessed what was going to be revealed through my relentless, kind of obvious foreshadowing]).**

 **Disclaimer: All rights remain.**

She was so fucking beautiful it physically hurt him sometimes because he couldn't have her. Percy could have any girl, any guy for that matter, in the world. But he didn't want them, he just wanted her. Seemed like a cruel joke played on him by the Gods. But even with her slightly cryptic words ringing through his ear, he couldn't help himself. Percy figured she'd explain later if he were to ask, so he went along with it. He wasn't drunk, they were both sober, but they both let it happen anyways because deep down they know they're denying their want on the daily. He'd been wanting it to happen ever since it occurred the first time. It doesn't matter if it shouldn't happen again because it does. Percy felt reckless, but who cares? _Who even cares?_

 _"I know, "_ she had whispered softly in his ear, tickling him with her gentle breath. The scent of Annabeth's lemon shampoo always drew Percy in, intoxicating him. Her hand lotion smelled of a delicate cinnamon, her expensive perfume was more gentle and elegant in comparison to the overly powerful scents other powerful women chose to wear. He liked hers. She was so many scents in one and it was like traveling the entire world and back again to hold her. It may seem overpowering to anyone else, but the various scents she chose were all light and beautiful.

It was just as desperate as the first time, like they were running out of time. Perhaps they were. But Percy loved it. Making her wriggle under him, making her eyes flutter, making her vulnerable in an intriguing way. So what was this, now what? Was she a two night stand or something? Annabeth didn't kiss them during their intimacy. Percy never kissed them, but he kind of wanted to kiss her. It was a sign of commitment, he knew, and he had no goddamn idea what he was doing. Was it possible to be in _love_ with her?

As Percy fell back into the bed next to her, he pondered upon the thought for moment. Sure, it'd crossed his mind before, but he'd never considered it as much as he did then. _No,_ this wasn't love. Right? But love was was a force of nature. However Percy may have wanted to, he could not command, demand, or take away love, any more than he could command the moon and the stars and the wind and the rain to come and go according to his whims. Whatever this was, Percy clearly had no control over it. Love was inherently free. It couldn't be bought, sold, or traded. He couldn't make someone love him, nor could he prevent it- not for any amount of money in the entire world. Percy's mouth turned up in a slight frown. He'd figured it was just some weird infatuation of his, but could it be possible to be more than just that?

Percy glanced over to the right where the bed was pushed against Annabeth's bedroom wall. Her room was always pristine and flawless, but now their clothes were strayed carelessly across the soft carpet floor. The bed sheets were rumpled, the covers carelessly thrown over the both of them. Night stars twinkled outside her bedroom window, as if winking at him. Percy swallowed thickly as his eyes flickered down to her face. Complete and utter bliss had just adorned her face for a good minute or two, but now her forehead was crinkled and he was surprised to see her looking back up at him expectantly. Percy's lips parted as he looked upon her through a new perspective.

Did he love her? Maybe, he didn't really know anymore. The whole idea made Percy so, so nervous. How could he love someone he hardly? _But that wasn't true,_ he berated himself. She ate soft pretzels when she was sad, Annabeth snacked on crunchy food like cheerios when she was nervous, and she enjoyed strawberries when she was happy. Annabeth always wore her curls in a bun in order to appear professional, Annabeth had a major phobia of spiders, and she always wore little makeup. She always carried her phone everywhere, no matter where, she had a laugh that sounded like tinkling bells, and she was born on July 12th of 1993. She had a bitchy mother whom she never got along with, she was more clever than she let on, which was really saying something considering how smart she already always appeared. Annabeth had a witty sense of humor and a love for Sudoku as well as riddles.

She had an unhealthy addiction to books and she was the biggest fangirl he'd ever met in his entire life, go figure when she didn't freak out over him the first time they met. But he quickly learned that she only squealed over books, and only ever books. Percy didn't understand her excitement over them, but he'd always thought it was adorable the way she talked about the plots, the characters, the stories as if she was a part of them all. The child-like grin that lit up her face and sparked his heart was absolutely the most endearing thing in the world, and the way he liked to tease her about liking the male characters more than him made his heart race. Annabeth loved coffee to stay awake and productive whereas Percy preferred a nice energy drink like red bull (which is, of course, mixed in with vodka). Percy found Annabeth often berated his eating habits even though she wasn't his girlfriend. She sure acted like one sometimes and he'd be lying if he said he didn't completely enjoy the attention. It wasn't like his usual attention, it was nice for a change. It was like she actually cared and it made him feel so good inside, _she_ made him feel so good inside.

A fond smile crossed Percy's face at the same time those thoughts crossed his brain. Annabeth's eyes were still locked on his, her lips parted slightly, but she wasn't saying anything, just looking at him with something deeper in her usually steel grey eyes, something of understanding lying deep in her one-of-a-kind orbs. Percy reached his hand out, as if his body had a mind of its own, and brushed her golden curl out of her eyes, tucking it almost tenderly behind her ear, like a significant other would do, like a lovesick fool. Maybe that's what he was, after all.

Annabeth's breath hitched when his skin burned against her, brushing her cheek lightly. He drew his arm back in, away from her as he pulled away, moving backwards carefully. Percy reached for his discarded clothes, in particular his jacket (they were both back in their undergarments already, and Annabeth wore his shirt on top- which was much too big on her), but Annabeth's arm outstretched on its own as well, almost like she was in a trance, like he was. Her hand splayed across his bare chest all of a sudden, an act of desperation. "Don't go, "she whispered, so quietly Percy barely heard her. In fact, he almost thought he'd imagined it. But then he noticed the tone of her plea and the fragile pull of her warm palm over his heart, and he hesitated. He couldn't stay- _wrong._ He _shouldn't._ Percy never stayed the night, no matter what. Why? He had his reasons, and they were pretty damn serious ones. But her voice was so gentle and he was so tired, her eyes were so desperate not to be left alone and he couldn't bear to leave her now.

"Okay, "he whispered back, his hands reaching up to where her warm hands were cupping his face. He rested his palms over the back of her hands and carefully pulled her right hand off his face, kissing her palm. He didn't mean to, but something about the way she was holding him made him want to hold her back protectively. Was he protective of her? Percy thought of how his vision had tunneled, turning a bold red as his fist had connected with Luke's jaw so long ago. Yes, he was a tad protective, you could say that. Annabeth shivered involuntarily when Percy pulled her closer to him, allowing her to bury her face in his warm chest as he brushed his thumb against the edge of her hip. He knew he'd regret it in the morning, but he allowed her to cuddle into him, his toned arms forming a protective cage around her figure. Then he remembered her cryptic words.

"Chase? What'd you figure out?" his voice was low, barely brushing past her ears. But when Percy looked down, he found Annabeth breathing steadily, her eyes shut. Her face relaxed when she was asleep, making her seem younger and less stressed. He sighed, realizing he wouldn't get any answers for the rest of that night. "Alright, Chase. Goodnight, "he murmured, pecking her forehead lightly. Percy wasn't sure it was love, but he knew it was more than friends with benefits, so he allowed himself to show a little affection. Twirling her curls in his fingers, he eventually dozed off with her, their legs tangled and her head on his chest like star-crossed lovers.

* * *

Annabeth was the first to wake up that Saturday morning, the sunlight cracking through the window brightly. She'd forgotten to close the curtains last night due to their intimacy. _Intimacy. Perseus._ Annabeth usually loved to sleep in a little when she could on weekends, but she hadn't been able to due to the sunlight. Percy, on the other hand, was the first to get up always. Some described it as his 'mad hustle', but he knew why better.

She glanced down at the boy sleeping next to her. Annabeth let her fingers absentmindedly brush some of his unrulier than usual, morning hair back neatly. She admired his face in the non-creepiest way possible, not wanting to get out of the bed and risk waking him. She brushed his face lightly, watching his eyelids twitch like the restless boy he was. His curly, long eyelashes created shadows across his cheekbones, his skin practically glowing in the sunlight. The dark circles under his eyes hadn't faded completely however, like usual. She ran her fingers through his hair, content to play with it for now, herself folded in his arms. He never once let go throughout the night, keeping her from being plagued with her usual nightmares.

Annabeth thought back to how things had been so awkward recently. She hoped, she prayed that wouldn't happen again now. She wasn't sure she could stand that all over again, or she might quite possibly chew off her fingernails, a habit she always tried to avoid turning to. As she admired his beauty (yes he was handsome, she could admit that, though she liked to joke his personality made his attractiveness plummet in a heartbeat), Annabeth remembered what she'd realized yesterday. The thought made her fingers freeze in a second, making her feel cold all of a sudden. _Oh god, Percy._

 _Please don't be true, please, please..._ She knew she should just leave him alone and pretend she never figured it out, how he always flinched away from people even if it was evident he was trying to control his flinching, how he always avoided mirrors and his reflection, how there was always a ring of truth in his underlying message when he jokingly spoke negatively of himself. How he'd winced when her palm had pressed against his chest the first time. As she contemplated what to do, Percy stirred awake.

His sea green eyes flickered open, clear and calmer than she usually saw him, but they clouded up when they saw the worry in hers. "What's wrong?" he murmured, his husky, gravelly morning voice croaking out. If Annabeth hadn't been as worried as she was, she would have commented on how _cute_ he was in the mornings just to patronize him teasingly. " _Percy_ , "Annabeth whispered, her voice cracking as she sat up in the bed, letting the covers fall and bunch around her waist, but she hardly noticed. Now Percy sat up, noticing the urgency in her voice, but carefully keeping the covers covering him completely, unlike her. Annabeth had never called him by his first name, unless they were fucking, ever since the day they'd met, except of course for the very first time when he'd introduced himself and she'd tried out his name on her tongue.

"Why didn't you _tell_ me?" her voice broke, her gaze falling and her eyes glassing over. Annabeth never cries, never ever ever. "You think I wouldn't have helped you? Did you think I didn't care? And did you honestly not think I'd figure it out?"

Percy's blood ran cold, her past words ringing in his ears: _I know._ He swallowed thickly. _Please not this, anything but this. She can't know, nobody can know, I-I, please no._ "Annabeth-" he started, trying to reason with her, but he honestly couldn't concentrate with Annabeth sitting there, her tears threatening to fall.

She cut him off. "I-I, "she choked over her words, "I complained about my mother to you, I told you the truth about her, I told you everything. I can't b-believe I complained to _you_ when you had it way worse... I'm- I, "she expressed, getting it off her chest, a tear finally making its way down her cheek, dripping down onto her chin. Annabeth brushed the tear away in frustration.

Now it was his turn to cut her off, "Annabeth _god_ no, please don't apologize, please don't cry, please, I don't think I can handle it if, please don't apologize. You haven't done anything, I don't need pity, I'm fine, "Percy insisted, unable to help himself from reaching out and wiping away her tears.

"I-I'm so _sorry,_ Percy, I'm so sorry," now she was full on crying. "I'm not trying to pity you or anything, nonono, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry if it came off like that, I just, "Annabeth exhaled a shaky breath. She shrugged slightly, letting her tears fall and finally covering her face with her hands, gasping and crying silently. Percy didn't think he could feel any worse, honestly, or mortified. She was crying _because_ of his problems, god why. He'd made her cry, one way or another.

Percy reached forward to hold her, but she pushed his hands away. "I treated you like shit!" she hiccuped, looking into his eyes with her puffy, slightly red eyes. Just as much as he'd disrespected her, she'd done the same. They were both at fault for so much.

"It was my fault, Annabeth, I started arguments with you, "he tried to reason with her, ignoring the way she pushed his hands away, and pulling her towards him, while letting the covers drop. It didn't matter, the secret was out. She shook her head no violently, while reaching up to push away the bed covers that had fallen. Annabeth exhaled another shaky breath, her chest tightening at the sight of his torso. Lining his "Mediterranean" complexion were what seemed like a million patches of discolorations, bruises of black and blue and purple, all horribly staining his 'Roman God' look. Annabeth covered her mouth with her hand in disbelief, as Percy looked away in shame, almost like it was his fault. It wasn't.

Annabeth stood up, examining without touching him, she was too afraid to hurt him to touch him. She scanned his back next, his shoulders, she even noticed a few scars under his hairline if she looked close enough. Annabeth reached for him, her crying lessening, but silent tears still rolling down her tannish face. Percy immediately flinched away, ashamed, but Annabeth slowed down, looking him in the eye no matter how much he tried to avoid her gaze by tilting his chin up with her pointer finger. Percy himself looked on the verge of tears and though she had so many questions, she let it go for a moment. Annabeth wasn't a fan of high fives, much less hugs, but she extended her arms, wrapped them around his neck and hugged him gently in order not to hurt him, letting his forehead rest on his shoulder as he hugged her back.

"Who did this to you, Percy, w-who..." she trailed off, choking back more tears when she heard him sniffle a few times.

"I should've told you," he croaked after some time, her shirt (well it's technically his) a little bit damp from his tears. "I just... I've never told anyone, and it always seemed to work better this way, I just. I don't k-know," he shrugged slightly, sniffling again, making Annabeth only hug him a little tighter to her chest. "M-my step-dad," he said after some time. "Gabe," Percy mumbled, Annabeth's eyes stinging at the mention of Gabe's name. "He drinks a lot and... and y-yeah."

Annabeth's heart twisted painfully, at noticing how some of the bruises seem fresher than others, newer. It made her stomach do somersaults and her insides feel sick just to think about. "What about your mom? Birth dad? Grandparents?" Annabeth questioned softly, trying to understand how this could happen to someone like Percy. Deep down she knew Percy was a sweet, loyal person. She didn't understand, she couldn't possibly get why someone would do something like this.

"My mom," Percy paused, "my mom was the greatest person ever," he murmured, looking up at her then with glossy sea green eyes. "She- she passed away when I was about in first grade after remarrying when I was just a toddler. She didn't mean to leave me... a terrible car accident," his face fell. "My dad, he left when I was just a baby. I don't know who he is," a slight tinge of bitterness poisoned his words. "So I didn't know my dad's parents obviously, but my mom's parents passed away in a plane crash when she was really young." _How much had this boy really been though?_ Annabeth's heart went out for him.

"Look," Percy said, clearly switching the topic from his painful backstory, "I'm really sorry about rejecting your photo shoot deal. I would do it, I really would, but..." _but they would see the abuse._ Annabeth waved away his apology.

"But you're known for being a player..." Annabeth trailed off, the question obvious.

"That's why I always messed with girls in the dark," Percy muttered under his breath, "and if they, for some reason caught a glimpse of one, I'd entertain them with lies of my bravery and how I courageously received those scars."

"...teachers?" Annabeth asked, heartbroken for him.

"Purposefully got into fights," Percy whispered back, his vulnerability shining through his eyes. But he could trust her, he always could.

"Then why would you go into the music industry, when the attention is always on you?" Annabeth inquired quietly. Percy hesitated to answer, but her eyes pleaded for some answers.

"My mom... she loved music more than anything in the world. She was a terrible singer," Percy chuckled humorlessly, staring at his hands emptily. "But she fell in love with my dad's voice, which she used to say, I received."

"Oh," was all Annabeth said. Percy appreciated her not saying she was sorry for his losses or he might've started crying again. "I want to help you," she murmured, despite Percy's protests and pleads to forget about this. "Do you want to stay with me, here, in my apartment?" she offered. Percy hesitated and Annabeth understood what he was getting at. _It's unprofessional._ "Nobody has to know," she promised, as if reading his mind. For some reason, she felt very strongly about this.

He shook his head one last time, stubbornly. "I'm saving up for my own place," he mumbled.

"What happened to your money?" _You get paid well as a celebrity._

"Gabe uses it as dough for gambling and poker," Percy whispered softly. "I'm keeping my money somewhere else now, I'll be moving out soon," he promised. Annabeth sighed.

"How long, Percy?" her voice is so serious then. Percy didn't answer so she repeated the question. " _How long, Perseus?"_

Percy couldn't even remember the last time someone had called him by his real name. He flinched at it and after what seemed like forever, he finally answered. "As long as I can remember," he replied very, _very_ quietly. Annabeth let out a deep breath. She nodded curtly, excused herself and left the room, returning a few moments later. In her hand was a first aid kit.

"Some of those look new," she mentioned and Percy nodded obediently and solemnly in response. She pressed the rag soaked in rubbing alcohol against Percy's bruises, but he gave no reaction. The lack of reaction scared her a little, he must've been damn used to rubbing alcohol, bandages, and everything in general. She eyed his tattoos carefully as she worked, fixing him up. "Why did you get that one?" Annabeth asked softly as she read his tattoos, their situation more tense now after their talk as she changed the subject, nodding towards the large angel tattoo covering the left side of his chest, right over his chest.

"The angel?" he muttered quietly, his head bowed down as she fluttered about him. "Well..." he hesitated and Annabeth looked at him, raising her eyebrow in question. "People always say that angels fly above us and they're untouchable," Percy said finally, but I don't think that's true. "I think there are a few rare angels down here on Earth. Like- like my mom," Percy hesitated, "like other people," he said, looking straight at Annabeth in the eyes.

"Well," Annabeth said, "that's a really great meaning," she murmured, not meeting his eyes now. "I like it," she said finally.

"You like it?" Percy looked at her carefully, both of them clearly avoiding the conversation from better. "Thought you hated tattoos, since you're so stuck up all the time," he smirked teasingly at her, but Annabeth could see right through him and his forced confidence; she was the queen of forced confidence herself, after all. However, she didn't say anything about it, letting it go. She'd decided she'd interrogated Percy enough for one day.

Annabeth rolled her eyes and crossed her arms over her chest,"I'm not stuck up," she argued, though there was an undertone of awkwardness now.

"Oh please," Percy offered a tiny smirk in return, a wavering one at that, but one all the same. He tilted his chin up, crossing his tan arms over his own chest, and glared angrily. " _Shut_ up, _Percy Jackson! God, you're so stupid!"_ he mimicked, in a higher tone, clearly meant to be hers.

"I do _not_ sound like that!" Annabeth said, laughing anyways.

" _I beg to differ,"_ Percy said in response, still in her voice. Bubbly laughter escaped Annabeth's body as she giggled at his impression of her. A little smug, trouble-maker smile flickered across his face, revealing just how pleased he was with her reaction. "So now what?" Percy tilted his head slightly to one side and peered at her.

"Hmm?" Annabeth looked up at him, a smile gracing her features.

"As I recall, the last time we talked about anything for this long _without arguing,_ you were explaining how we were just business partners. Nothing more, nothing less," his eyes glittered slightly, hinting at how much had changed. A brilliant pink flushed across Annabeth's face, much to his amusement.

"Your point?" Annabeth managed to say elegantly. Everything she did was elegant, a perfection Percy never understood.

"My point is, what about now? Are we still business partners?" He allowed a sliver of hope to slip through his voice. Her grey eyes scanned his face carefully, examining him carefully. She pursed her lips, chewing on her bottom lip thoughtfully.

Finally, she extended her hand. "Acquaintances," she finally declared. Percy blinked, looking at Annabeth. Acquaintances didn't kiss each other spontaneously, acquaintances didn't sleep with each other, not one, but _twice,_ and acquaintances surely didn't spend the night. Acquaintances didn't admire each other, checking one another out constantly. Acquaintances didn't tease each other relentlessly, they didn't spill their life story to the other like Percy had to her. But they weren't friends with benefits, he cared about her feelings and her life. They weren't just friends.

But if not acquaintances, what did Percy want? _Girlfriend?_ Um... how about no? Percy didn't know what he wanted from her and he wasn't sure she knew either, so he decided to settle for what she suggested. Acquaintances, sure. He could do with that, maybe sneak a few kisses in when she wasn't expecting it, when nobody was looking because he wasn't sure he could go without her for so long, not again. Percy outstretched his own hand, locking it with her smaller yet still strong one. They shook hands. "Acquaintances," Percy confirmed, eyes sparkling.

"Now. On to more important business," Annabeth declared, grinning.

Percy feigned hurt. "What could be more important than our acquaintanceship?" He put his hand over his heart, making baby seal eyes. Annabeth would be lying if she said her heart didn't skip a beat at his adorable expression, but she simply rolled her eyes in return.

"I'm pretty sure that's not a word, Jackson," she retorted, amused. "Besides, I don't know about you, but I'm starved," Annabeth remarked, getting up out of the bed and not even bothering to put pants on. She had Percy's on, that was more than enough. When in need of food, all other priorities fell behind.

"You're choosing _food_ over me?" Percy teased, laughing. Annabeth whacked him with a pillow that had fallen off the bed and then tossed it back onto the bed. Percy fell back, wide-eyed, and then sat up once again, astonishment evident in his expression.

"What?" she laughed at the look on his face.

"You just... you just hit me with a pillow!" Percy exclaimed.

"So? You insulted food!" Annabeth accused, beaming. Percy laughed to himself, much to Annabeth's annoyance. "Stop laughing, Jackson," she whined. "It's not that funnyyyyy," she groaned. But Percy couldn't help himself. He'd just never seen Annabeth do something as childish as smack somebody with a pillow. His side ached as he cracked up. "Do you even want food? I could just eat it all," Annabeth threatened.

"You?" Percy snorted.

"You underestimate my eating skills," Annabeth pointed at him, hiding a begrudging smile. Percy just shook his head at her, chuckling quietly. Annabeth opened the door of the bedroom, leading out into the kitchen and living room, Percy trailing behind her.

"You like eggs?" Annabeth asked, reaching for a pan under the stove. Percy sat down on the bar stool that was pulled up to the island in the center of the kitchen.

"Scrambled, please," he requested politely, reaching for the orange juice in the kitchen and pouring them both two glasses. He set the table while Annabeth cooked.

Annabeth wrinkled her nose in disgust. "Ugh, omelets are so much better," she argued, still smiling however. She found herself smiling ten times more with Percy around.

"I _hate_ omelets," Percy wrinkled his own nose. Annabeth gasped, offended, but laughing. Annabeth served both of their eggs, both in their own ways, and came to sit across from him, as they bickered good-naturedly about eggs. Laughter ensued through the room constantly, as they traded childish insults and made faces, Percy even sticking his tongue out at Annabeth at one point.

But despite it all, Percy and Annabeth had never been more content to spend a Saturday morning discussing the _important_ debate that was breakfast eggs. Suddenly with Percy, the apartment didn't seem nearly as empty to Annabeth. _Acquaintances._ If this is what it was like to be acquaintances: casual physical contact and friendly conversation, then Annabeth was happy to be acquaintances forever.

 **A/N: I hope you guys liked it! The plot is definitely a little bit more interesting now, and it will only expand more next chapter. I don't know, I just always felt as if Gabe was abusive and Rick just couldn't say anything because his main demographic is full of younger readers who grow up and continue to love it. (Once they grow up, they understand a bit better, is my guess.) But he can't explicitly say what Gabe's done because of the 12 year olds who read his books. So I decided to add it into the fanfiction.**

 **I went back and made this chapter a little bit longer to thank you all for hitting over 100 followers last time! Thank you so much, you guys are the best! :) Leave me a review if you want, I love reading them and they genuinely make me a little happier. Until next time. Bye, guys! :)**


	17. Family Isn't Always Blood

**A/N: Fuck... hey guys. Totally just realized about a second ago that I forgot to post this chapter yesterday. I'm soooo sorry about that! Not much to say except when texting, anything in bold are Percy's texts and regular typing are Annabeth's texts. Enjoy! (And once again, sorry about not posting it yesterday! :/ )**

 **Disclaimer: All rights remain.**

It started off as just a regular Saturday morning for Annabeth. She was laying snug under her covers, much too lazy to get up, and checking her phone. She watched, a small smirk crossing her face, as Percy's texts came in, each as amusing as the next. Two weeks had passed since Percy had stayed the night at Annabeth's place, and it hadn't been the last. He came over often now, they didn't do anything scandalous, but they played games, worked, went to coffee occasionally. It was fun, he was fun, Annabeth liked having a person like him around.

He casually dropped innocent kisses on her cheeks and allow Annabeth to smack him with pillows when he said something stupid. Percy would reach over and mess up her controller while they played in order to win. He would bring her coffee when she sat in front of her laptop relentlessly. He would watch boring the news with Annabeth even though half the time he wouldn't be paying attention and just poking her or bothering her instead. He would let her steal the blanket covering both of them and then fetch her fuzzy socks to make sure she was completely warm. Percy laughed at her witty jokes and made some of his own puns to make her laugh. Sometimes he would stay for dinner or bring takeout for her before going home at work. Percy made life a little more bearable, a fact Annabeth wasn't willing to admit.

So Annabeth didn't tell Piper or Calypso or anyone, because it wasn't like they were together or anything. Sure sometimes, they kissed, but it was casual. Always and forever casual. Nothing more, nothing less.

(8:02am) **Did you know I only bathe in Fiji water?**

(8:02am) ***attached an article from CelebNews***

(8:04am) Excuse me?

(8:06am) **also I seduce girls with my juggling skills**

(8:08am) Jackson, what the actual fuck

(8:09am) ***attached an article from CelebNews***

(8:13am) Should I be jealous?

(8:13am) **of course not. they have it all wrong duh. its my whale call skills that RLY land the chicks and everyone knows fiji is fucking fantastic**

(8:16am) **one sec while i tweet this 'secret' at my fans lmao**

(8:20am) ***attached a link to Perseasalt's twitter***

(8:21am) **who actually comes up wit this shit. y would i ever bathe in fiji water. that shits expensive**

Annabeth snorted in the most non-ladylike manner and she smiled to herself as she shut her phone off, forcing herself to get out of the comfort of her bed and face the day.

A smile graced her features as another text came in, this time from her best friend. _We're waiting outside._ Still tired, Annabeth made her way to her apartment door, swinging it open to reveal the faces of none other than Piper McLean and Calypso. Her smile brightened, letting them in. Piper, who was practically like a sister to Annabeth, immediately made herself at home. She'd spent so many nights here, the both of them disputing over Piper's cheesy chick-flicks and Annabeth's tedious documentaries, throwing popcorn at each other and laughing. Calypso was like family too, but she wasn't nearly as bold as Piper. As Piper draped herself all over the couch, Calypso perched lightly on a chair nearby.

"Are you guys ready?" Piper grinned, glancing at Calypso and then Annabeth. Piper had been dying to watch a new movie that had just released in theaters. It was filled with all kinds of famous names, which Piper loved, Calypso was simply interested in the plot, and Annabeth would be entertained by the historical facts sprinkled in, just based off the trailer. It was so difficult to find movies, or anything really, that the three of them could agree on. Calypso was usually less opinionated and didn't mind much of anything, but Annabeth and Piper argued good-naturedly for ages. Finally having come across an interesting compromise, the three girls had planned to watch it Saturday morning.

"Of course!" Annabeth exclaimed, letting a little bit of her fun side shine through and Calypso grinned excitedly. "This is going to be great," she promised, reaching for a white fluffy towel. "Just let me take a quick shower," she remarked, disappearing into the bathroom nearby, the door locking behind her.

While Annabeth showered, Piper made herself at home, as any best friend would do, Callie by her side faithfully. Piper took out two pomegranate juice drinks for her and Calypso and unscrewed the cap, sipping the refreshing beverage. She then made her way to Annabeth's bedroom, accustomed to the excessively neat room. Annabeth's entire apartment was like this, with the exception of her office. Her office was unruly, the space of a true genius. Piper rolled her eyes at Annabeth's laundry hamper in the corner of her room, which was currently overflowing. It was so unlike Annabeth not to already have her laundry washed, dried, pristine and ironed, already hanging and folded in her closet. Sighing to herself, she went to pick up the laundry to toss in the machine while Annabeth showered.

Piper scooped up the basket, Calypso tossing a pair of jeans that had fallen out on top, when Piper froze, eyes widening. Slowly, she pulled out shirt from the laundry. A man's shirt. These days, Piper felt like she found more and more things that didn't make sense. Two days ago she'd found blue candy in a bag, half eaten. Annabeth rarely ate candy, claiming it was bad for her and she refused to consume poison. Around a week ago, Piper found Annabeth buying a new pair of headphones, and when she'd asked Annabeth about it, she claimed it was for music.

But Annabeth never really listened to music, all she did was work. Two weeks ago, Annabeth had washed and changed her sheets, a strange behavior to Piper. Annabeth changed her sheets once a week in summer, but one every two weeks in the other seasons. It was only February now and she always washed her sheets every other Tuesday, but last time she'd washed it on a Saturday afternoon two weeks ago. Annabeth was hiding something, Piper knew, she just didn't know what. And it hurt because they'd been best friends along with sweet Callie since what felt like forever. They told each other everything. Annabeth and Calypso had been the first to know everything about Jason, it was just how it worked. Piper had been giving her time, waiting for her to spill whatever she was hiding, but now Piper had a pretty good idea of what she was hiding and it made her feel somewhat angry inside. Annabeth was hanging out with a guy all the time, no doubt.

Piper held the shirt in her hand, turning to look at Calypso. Calypso pursed her lips, opening her mouth to defend Annabeth. Callie was just like that: always believing the best in people, always trusting without another thought. She was sweet, strong, brave, and loyal. Piper blinked down at the lightly cologne scented shirt as Annabeth came out of the shower, scrunching up her curls that were still damp with coconut water and frizz-protection curl cream. "So I was thinking-" Annabeth trailed off, halting in front of her bedroom doorway, eyes flickering down to the navy men's t-shirt in Piper's hand. _Fuck._

"What the hell, Annabeth?" Piper demanded, feeling betrayed. Of course she felt betrayed, best friends didn't keep secrets from each other. Not like this. Annabeth swallowed thickly.

"Look Piper, I can... I can explain," Annabeth began. Calypso blinked, standing by Piper this time, not Annabeth. It was hard to see how Annabeth could explain anything, but Piper just let the t-shirt fall into the hamper, crossed her arms across her chest, and waited patiently. "Malcolm came over the other day," Annabeth started. Both Piper and Calypso knew who Malcolm was. Malcolm had gone to college with Annabeth and the both of them were close friends, and they practically acted like brother and sister. "Well, he came over the other day, we hadn't seen each other in a while," Annabeth said, for some reason,"and well- he spent the night. We had been working really hard and I didn't want to send him home so late, risking him getting mugged or something," she explained. It was a believable lie, Malcolm had spent the night a few times. Sometimes they even shared a bed; it wasn't a big deal, all they did was sleep. Both Piper and Calypso were aware of this. But this was different.

Annabeth didn't even know why she lied, it was just like a reflex and she couldn't understand why. She told herself that Percy and herself's relationship was too casual, Piper wouldn't understand, Calypso wouldn't get it. Piper looked her up and down. Usually Annabeth could lie like it was nobody's business, a trick she'd picked up from having Athena as her mother, but not now, not like this in front of the two people who cared about her more than anyone else did.

Piper was not fooled and Annabeth wasn't even believable this time, what with her fingers twitching nervously now. "Stop lying, Annabeth," Piper's tone cut more than any blade ever would and Annabeth flinched. Calypso kept her mouth shut, clearly upset, but Piper began talking, angry and upset as well. Piper was in the fashion business, she worked with models, hell she'd even modeled a few times. She worked with all types of designers, and though her father was an actor mostly, they owned a large business. Piper always had the final say on the outfits, besides her own father. She knew every designer, every brand of everything by heart. Piper had even chosen her boyfriend, Jason's cologne that he now wore to work every day: _Paco Rabanne 1 Million Cologne_. She just knew it all when it came to these kinds of things. "Malcolm's cologne smells like a mix of green apple, lemon zest, and mint leaves. He always wears _Versace Eros_ ," she remarked, hugging herself like she did when she was upset.

 _Fuck._ Annabeth can't help but chide herself on not remembering Piper's perfect ability to pick out fragrances and all things related to fashion. Give the girl a scent and she could pick out a designer just based off a whiff, an incredible talent usually, but unfortunate at the moment. And then Annabeth chastised herself for feeling this way. She should, instead, feel guilty for lying. She did feel bad, but it wasn't her first reaction, making Annabeth feel even worse.

"This scent is more of cardamom, lavender, and citrus Bergamont," Piper continued. "Which all fits the exact description of _Yves Saint Laurent La Nuit De L'homme_ ," she rattled off the name, fuming. "Why the fuck are you lying, Annabeth? You don't trust Callie and I to understand?" She glared at her best friend, her kaleidoscope eyes staring down Annabeth's grey orbs for once.

Annabeth was quickly getting angry herself, too prideful to admit she was wrong, though she knew she was. Her fierce eyes glared back into Piper's. "Why do you even care? I'm allowed to keep things to myself, you know!" she accused.

"I told you everything, _everything!_ I didn't keep it to myself. No secrets, Annabeth. We promised so long ago!" Piper argued back, furious.

"That's just ridiculous, Piper! It's called privacy. Why the hell were you going through my laundry, anyways?!" Annabeth demanded. "Besides, I never asked you to tell me everything, anyways," she said sharply, Piper's anger diminishing, replaced by hurt.

"Fine, whatever Annabeth. Sorry I told you," Piper's voice had lowered in volume, more upset than she was letting on. "I didn't mean to _bother_ you with no secrets. Come find me once you've gotten over your ego," Piper said quietly, turning and storming out of Annabeth's apartment. Even Calypso followed in suit, unable to find it in herself to defend Annabeth. She didn't say a word to Annabeth, just kept her head lowered and followed Piper out.

Annabeth's chest felt tight, but she couldn't find it in herself to run after them and apologize. She knew that was all it would take because neither Piper nor Calypso were the type to hold grudges, unlike Annabeth. Her pride blinded her. Feeling absolutely crummy inside, she stood still for a minute or two after they'd left, then walked over to the door like a ghost, and shut it quietly, not allowing the hurt to show on her face. Instead, Annabeth slumped down and sunk into her couch, covering her face with her hands and allowing herself to breathe quietly, all by herself.

After sitting on that couch for god knows how long, Annabeth stood up, realizing that she hadn't even ate yet and it was nearly lunchtime. Maybe she'd brought Malcolm into her lie because she'd been planning of meeting him for lunch today. She sighed, knowing Malcolm would immediately make her feel better, he always did. But after using him in her lie, she wasn't sure she was exactly in the mood to see him, even if he had done nothing wrong.

Annabeth scooped up her phone, refusing to dwell over the past few hours, and turned it on letting the light illuminate her face. _4 texts from Percy Jackson._ Annabeth cringed at his name after her argument with Annabeth and Calypso- well mostly, Piper, but Calypso didn't disagree with Piper. How could Annabeth expect her to, when even Annabeth herself knew Piper was right? The guilt ate her up inside, making her feel sick. Currently ignoring the texts, she opened up her contacts, scrolling through the starred ones in search of Malcolm Pace. Her finger tapped against a picture of a boy with a small reserved smile, neat blond hair, and grey eyes not unlike Annabeth's, though his seemed a tad kinder. She listened to the phone ring- twice as it always did- and then he picked up.

"Annabeth?" his voice came on, syrupy like honey, calm and gentle. She felt herself relaxing just at his voice, a sound very different than anyone else she knew, in the best way possible. While Percy always sounded more husky with a fruity laugh and a touch of mystery, Malcolm had the sound of comfort. Piper sounded silvery, cool, light, and pleasant, Calypso like warm wind chimes, ringing delicately and softly, and Athena always sounded shrill and always spoke like she knew everything in the world. After her argument with Piper and Calypso, Annabeth was relieved to hear Malcolm.

"Malcolm." Her voice came out smaller than she'd expected, but it wouldn't have even mattered if she'd tried to disguise her emotions in the first place- Malcolm always saw right through her no matter what.

"What happened?" he immediately responded, cutting in before she had the chance to brush off her voice, claiming she was simply sick or some other lie. Annabeth couldn't help but notice he sounded exhausted. It seemed Malcolm was more and more tired by the day and Annabeth's heartstrings tugged for her older 'brother.'

"Nothing," immediately fell out of Annabeth's mouth, as if all on its own.

" _Annabeth_ ," his voice hardened into a stiff amber like it did when he knew she was lying. Malcolm would not coax; either she told him on her own, or he'd simply ignore it, thinking she wanted her space, or at least just didn't feel like sharing.

"I-" she hesitated,"I had a fight with Piper," Annabeth finally admitted. He paused, thinking.

"Are you okay?" The sound in the background at his workplace seemed to quiet down, the phone shaking in scratching noises, leading Annabeth to believe Malcolm had walked out into his own private office to talk to her. Sure enough, she heard the sound of the door closing and the wheels on his leather seat rolling on the floor across the phone line. Malcolm had to work some Saturdays because of his boss and unfortunately, this was one of those Saturdays.

"Hmm? Yeah, yeah of course." Annabeth said immediately, waiting for him to fill the silence.

"Look, Annabeth, I get off for my lunch break in around half an hour. Want to meet at the pizzeria down on the intersection near Malcolm X Boulevard at 12:30?" That was one of her favorite places to eat and she loved to joke about the street name when eating there with them. After all, that _was_ their place, always.

"Sure," she let out a breath of relief; time with Malcolm always made her day. Malcolm got out his phone, shuffling around as he added it into the electronic calendar.

"Okay, Beth. See you then," then he hung up, leaving Annabeth to splay out all over the couch gloomily.

* * *

Annabeth arrived right on time- as usual. She had never been the type to involve herself with the whole idea of being fashionably late. The whole theory always pissed her off, leaving her to rant for hours together. When she walked out to the restaurant, heels clicking against the pavement, she was greeted with his familiar face illuminated by the bright light of his smartphone. Annabeth didn't know why she chose to torture herself that afternoon, what with the heels and all. It wasn't like it was to impress anyone; she wasn't at work and she was only meeting Malcolm. Perhaps it was because she couldn't stand to look out of it, not after Malcolm reading her emotions over the phone so easily, not when she had already seemed so transparent, not when she felt so vulnerable.

Malcolm looked up then, noticing her. _No._ He'd already noticed her, it was Malcolm. He could fucking sense her presence from halfway across the world if he chose to. He acknowledged her with his small, exhausted smile that she had grown so accustomed to. Annabeth pulled out her chair, sitting down, poised as ever. Malcolm didn't frown, but she saw the way his eyes flickered in knowing, in fucking _sympathy and understanding_. She was fine. Annabeth was fucking fantastic, she didn't need help. That minuscule, seemingly unimportant shift in his facial features was all she needed to urge herself to sit up straighter.

"Hi," escaped his mouth, in that same comforting, cool voice.

"Hi," she replied back, breathlessly. It felt weird to be there, at that very pizzeria that they'd been to so many times, after all this time. Annabeth realized, with a pang of guilt, she hadn't spoken with Malcolm- not like this- in so long. And it was probably her fault too. As if seemingly reading her mind, Malcolm of course spoke up.

"Haven't seen you much lately," he remarked. From anyone else, it would be mean, rude, frowned upon. But it wasn't from anyone else. The small lilt of his voice and creases at the corner of his eyes was all she needed to reaffirm what she'd already figured. "We'll need to break that habit," Malcolm continued. "Also, Annabeth, I already ordered," he announced.

If any other boy ordered for her, Annabeth might have slapped him right then and there. But this was different, always. Knowing Malcolm he'd probably ordered a small pie for the two of them to share, probably in both of their favorite styles. Sure enough, he looked up at her with his clear grey eyes, smiling slightly, and rattled off the order.

"A small New York style pizza, with the perfect thin, golden, crunchy crust, cooked in a cast iron pan, topped with our favorite New England Greek style pizza toppings such as feta and mozzarella cheese, artichokes, kalamata olives, tomato sauce, mushrooms, and sun-dried tomatoes," Malcolm declared, not leaving out a single detail, being the ever perfect person he was. Annabeth couldn't help but grin slightly. He knew her so well, she couldn't help but smile genuinely. Not only did they share the same brain half the time, they were similar in taste, being the utter and complete foodies they were. "I'm guessing you won't have any objections," he looked fondly upon her, like a big brother would a little sister. Malcolm was the closest thing Annabeth had ever had to family, aside from Piper and Calypso of course. Annabeth was no match for him, with his wit, protectiveness, gentle face, and kind personality.

Annabeth shook her head, no, obediently. "I couldn't have ordered better myself," she announced, reciprocating his ever contagious beam. Malcolm knew how to play his cards and how to comfort her. Sometimes he knew she wanted to talk, but sometimes she just wanted to forget. And he'd decided he'd much prefer to help her forget, rather than allow her to the sweet temptation of alcohol, just as many of her clients did. It was hard, always fighting in the spotlight. Not fighting _for_ the spotlight, no never, but always to get out.

So that was how they spent the next hour before Malcolm returned to work: laughing, snorting, smiling, agreeing, talking, teasing one another, and of course, indulging in the beautiful, probably fattening, pizza. Both blonds closed their eyes upon first taste, enveloped in pure bliss. Annabeth teased him for being unable to stop the gorgeous cheese from stretching instead of breaking off into a bite, Malcolm retaliating by commenting on how if this was a business ordeal, Annabeth would be utilizing a fork and knife instead of allowing herself to eat pizza the 'proper' way; messy and with your hands. They traded insults jokingly for the rest of the time, truly enjoying themselves.

And for an hour, a short, seemingly insignificant part of Annabeth's entire fucking life in the grand scheme of things, she felt truly happy, giggling like a child. That in itself was all Malcolm could ever ask for, as he peered upon the blonde young woman fondly, his mouth curved up slightly in amusement. That smile of hers, that _exact one_ , was all he would ever need in his life to remain sane. He hoped she knew how much younger, better, _healthier_ she looked when she was smiling.

 **A/N: Lol, I had to research which colognes were good so that Piper could bust Annabeth properly. Also, in the books, Malcolm Pace seems like the first person to realize Annabeth and Percy's feelings for each other, so might incorporate that into this story. I don't know, we'll see.**

 **Anyways, hope you enjoyed and leave me a review if you want. It would be much appreciated if you guys could let me know what you think about Malcolm so far :) For all of you who live in the USA, hope you all had a good Memorial Day last weekend. *salutes our troops* See you all in two weeks!**


	18. New Year, Same Me

**A/N: Wassup ma dudes! (Note to self: Never fucking say that again. Cringe limit exceeded.) Anyways, here's the next chapter and I hope you enjoy!**

 **Disclaimer: All rights remain.**

Annabeth had usually been able to count on a pleasant drop-by from Piper, or a funny text from Calypso to brighten up her day. But not now; she hadn't spoke with them in days, in fucking _days._ It should have been easy to fix. Piper was forgiving and Calypso was sweet. She should have just had to apologize, in fact, that was all Annabeth still needed to do to earn them back. But pride blinded her, as it always had. It was so hard, so so hard to swallow her pride, ego, stubbornness and say sorry.

Not like it mattered anyway, because on the sixth day of utter silence, Piper swung back at Annabeth's apartment. Piper looked fabulous as always, colorful feathers adorning her chocolate locks of shiny hair, a royal blue casual dress with white trim, chunky golden earrings, colorful socks paired to match her feathers, and fuzzy heeled boots, mittens, earmuffs, and a scarf in order to fend off the cold December snow. Annabeth had a feeling that Piper could wear a trash bag and still look like a model. Annabeth opened her front door in surprise, meeting the brunette's kaleidoscope gaze with astonishment- and shame that she refused to show.

Piper walked in with her long, graceful legs, and peered at Annabeth, who had just gotten home from work, and therefore looked like a mess. It was a Friday night and Annabeth was exhausted out of her mind. "Oh, Beth," Piper clicked her tongue distastefully," you look terrible," she said with a kind smile. Piper was seemingly ignoring their argument from approximately a week ago. Annabeth's shoulders felt heavy all of a sudden; she didn't deserve Piper, nor Calypso. Piper didn't even need her to apologize, she simply already forgave her. Annabeth swallowed guiltily, shutting the door softly behind her friend.

"I mean, I just got home from work," Annabeth began to explain, but Piper waved her excuse away, texting someone on her phone. Annabeth hesitated. "Where's Calypso?"

"She got caught up doing some work for her other friend," Piper explained briefly, finally looking up from the bright screen. Around two minutes later, the doorbell rang once more, but now aware that it wouldn't be Calypso, Annabeth looked at Piper curiously as the dark-haired beauty opened the door casually, revealing a boy around their age, maybe a little bit younger. Annabeth peered through the doorway, inspecting the shaggy-haired, gaping male, whose eyes were trained on all of Piper's glory. In his hands was a paper brown bag, the kind Annabeth used to drag along with her on field trips, when she was younger. On the side of the bag, a logo of a fork was plastered across it.

Piper fished out her shiny black wallet and paid the stunned boy, then flashed him her signature smile, causing him to blush, bid him a good night, and then shut the door. Piper brought the bag in and set it on Annabeth's dining table, digging through it and producing utensils, two drinks, and two Italian meals packaged in take out, Styrofoam boxes. "Thank you," Annabeth said, looking at Piper with incredulity evident in her eyes. Piper just nodded at her, with a tiny smile. Of course Piper had already ordered food for the both of them, of freaking course. She was so good to Annabeth, such a good friend, and Annabeth felt so lucky, so blessed to have a friend like Piper who loved her so much.

Piper removed her boots in the doorway, revealing her fuzzy socks, and padded over to the couch with her food in her hand. She then switched on the tv to a cheesy, terrible romcom- the type Annabeth wouldn't admit she secretly enjoyed on nights like these. Slowly, Annabeth picked up her own pasta, one of her favorites (of course Piper knew), and moved to sit next to her best friend. She popped the top of the box while Piper sipped on her berry lemonade, and then Annabeth twirled her still hot pasta on her fork, enjoying the perfection.

"Thanks," Annabeth said again, after some time, much quieter than the first time. The first time she'd meant her gratitude for the food, but this one was for everything Piper did for her, for being an incredible friend, for being her.

"It's what any friend would do," Piper said over the tv, glancing at the blonde fondly. Annabeth shook her head. Not just anyone did all of this, but Piper did. Noticing Annabeth's disagreement towards the statement, Piper threw her arm around Annabeth, offering a half hug, before returning to her food. Annabeth allowed the smallest smile to appear on her face, as Piper went on to explain how the actor wasn't even hot, and how she couldn't believe the fan base he had. Annabeth sat quietly, watching both the movie, and responding to Piper's movie criticism with amusement.

Annabeth caught Piper's eye at one point and Piper had sipped her drink once more. "Love you, Beth," she had said.

Annabeth didn't hesitate, not when it came to this. "Love you too, Pipes."

* * *

Annabeth walked down the west hallway, finding her way to Percy's recording room, not to bother him, but to simply drop off a few items. She stopped before the fifth, dark painted door, turning the handle before entering quietly. She didn't want to disturb him, after all. Once inside, she was greeted with the sound of voices echoing throughout the room.

The first voice was pleasant, and feminine. A sickening feeling immediately churned in the depths of Annabeth's stomach, a feeling that only made her more ashamed. Her brain quickly wandered off, thinking of how Percy had invited this girl over here, probably just another girl he'd slept with. Berating herself, she shifted forward to silently drop off the select objects, but of course she was a cursed being with rotten luck. Her forearm brushed against a notebook on a table nearby, causing a pen to roll off and fall to the ground softly. Softly, but not silent.

Cursing under her breath, Annabeth panicked when she heard Percy's familiar footsteps approaching closer. Following his, were softly padded footsteps, probably belonging to the girl whose voice Annabeth had heard earlier. Frozen like a deer caught in headlights, Annabeth hesitated to get out of his room- a huge mistake. Percy's face came in view, his eyes slightly wider in surprise at the sight of her.

"Chase?" he inquired, his words sounding more like a statement than a question. On his right stood a much shorter, also dark-haired girl. She had shocking electric blue eyes, short, spiky, black hair, a pale complexion, and a few freckles sprinkled over the bridge of her nose. Though petite, she was lean and muscular. Gorgeous. It was one of the first things that struck Annabeth. With her bright eyes and naturally pink lips, she caught Annabeth off guard.

"Chase?" the girl echoed, in curiosity and confusion, as another person became visible on Percy's left. The boy on Percy's left had sunken eyes, clearly full of exhaustion, a complexion even paler than Thalia and definitely more unhealthy. He was a bit taller than the girl. It wasn't hard to see that the boy used to have an olive skin tone, but due to stress and god knows what else, he looked more like a vampire, a ghost. He appeared to be wasting away. He had dark brown eyes, unruly black hair, and wore a frown on his face. He stood with a slight hunch as his eyes bore into Annabeth's soul, seemingly examining the deepest fears of her.

"Annabeth Chase," the boy replied to the girl, his mouth turning down more as he shot a look towards the blue-eyed girl. "Daughter of Athena Stone." The girl's gaze shifted back to the blonde, inspecting her as if in a new light.

Annabeth looked up at Percy, unable to read his face. "Chase, this is Nico di Angelo," he said, gesturing to the boy on his left. Nico didn't move at the introduction. He seemed rather quiet and alone. Annabeth offered him a warm smile, one that he did not return. He offered a grimace at best. "And this," Percy began, turning towards to the girl, but was cut off immediately.

"Thalia," she said loudly, introducing herself. Percy seemed unaffected by her outburst. Annabeth could tell, near immediately that Thalia was quite the extrovert, with an in-your-face kind of attitude. Though surprised, Annabeth smiled at her too, outstretching her hand to shake hers. Thalia shook Annabeth's hand with a firm handshake and a playful attitude, though Annabeth figured it was probably more directed towards Percy. After all, Nico was scowling more now that he was near Annabeth. For a moment, Annabeth pondered over Thalia's last name, but decided not to ask to avoid conflict.

"Yeah, Thalia. My friends," Percy said, finishing his first cut off statement. "This is, um, Annabeth Chase," Percy said softly. "But you already knew that," he said, glancing at Nico, who seemed to just be staring Percy down. Feeling uncomfortable, Percy quickly shifted his gaze away from Nico, and down to his shoes. Nico's wary eyes shift over the blonde once more, before finally landing on his friend next to him, Percy Jackson.

Nico whispered something in Percy's ear, too softly for Annabeth to overhear, and then he walked away from the taller, green-eyed boy, out the door. Thalia followed soon after. "See ya, Perce," she called over her shoulder, disappearing out the doorway after the Italian young man. Percy looked at Annabeth, his face a blank slate, which only unnerved Annabeth. She hated that she couldn't read him, not right then.

"I- fuck, Jackson, I didn't mean to make them leave," Annabeth began to protest, Percy only still staring at her, still in deep in thought. "I just came to drop some things off," she gestured hastily to the cardboard box she'd left on the table right next to the fatal notebook. Percy then stared at the pen on the ground, walking over to her, and then scooping it up, placing it on the table.

"It's fine," his words were rougher than usual. "They were going to leave soon anyways," his expression darkened at no one.

He was acting strange, hurt, but somehow Annabeth didn't think her untimely interruption was the reason for his sudden mood shift. She figured it still revolved around her, she just wasn't sure how yet. "Are you okay?" she bit her tongue, as soon as the intrusive question escaped her lips. Percy nodded his head quickly, straightening the notebook she'd knocked in an effort to keep himself busy. "I'll just- I'll go then," she decided, even though he didn't respond. "Call me if you need me. I'll just be in my office," she finished quietly, turning around and hastily scurrying out of his recording booth, reprimanding herself the entire walk back to her own private office.

* * *

New Year's Eve had rolled around before either Annabeth or Percy had noticed. Time truly flied. The incident from a few weeks ago with Thalia and Nico seemed to be forgotten by Percy, but not by Annabeth. She simply had decided not to push, not wanting to upset him further, leaving herself forever in the dark. Maybe that was just the way it was supposed to be.

Of course, New Year's Eve didn't mean the same thing to Annabeth and Percy as it did to any other regular person in all of New York. For two people deeply wrapped in the industry it meant fake smiles, industry parties, performances, strobe lights, alcohol, dancing to pounding music, and not a moment of solitude or peace. It meant returning to the faux people they were deep down inside them. The people inside them that they hated being and mourned having become.

Annabeth scowled as she downed more of the intoxicating liquid, resting her elbows on the cold, stone, rooftop edge. She relied on the magical drink to get her through the tortuous night. Downstairs, the party was roaring louder than ever. Half of it was being vlogged by other famous members of the internet community to be posted in a couple days. Annabeth smiled darkly down at the road below her, thinking of the titles of the videos. _INSANE PARTY GETS OUT OF HAND. SHE MADE OUT WITH ME! I MEET SELENA GOMEZ?! NICK JONAS TAKES SHOTS OUT OF HIS GIRLFRIEND'S BELLYBUTTON!_ Annabeth snorted to herself, sarcastically, drinking more of the throat-burning drink.

"Room for one more?" a voice called from behind her. Slowly turning around, Annabeth faced none other than Percy Jackson.

"Why am I not surprised?" she shook her head at him, turning back to view the city lights and skyline, not quite answering his question. Percy walked over to her, joining her in gazing at the beautiful city during nighttime. "You should be having fun, you know," Annabeth commented after a few moments of silence.

Percy didn't look at her, but she glanced up to see him smirking to himself. "Shouldn't you be relieved I'm not going crazy, making all sorts of titles?"

Annabeth paused at that. "Fair enough." Annabeth stopped again, this time when her glass was empty. "Fuck," she cursed, peering into her empty wine glass. She reached down towards the ground where a bottle of fancy liquor was placed.

Percy raised his eyebrows in surprise. "You snuck a bottle up?"

Annabeth shrugged slightly and incoherently mumbled something before muttering words resembling 'why not.' "You know, it's not wise to stand near the edge of a fucking rooftop when clearly tipsy at least," he said, casually.

"Maybe I'm not wise," Annabeth countered, tiredly. She was so, so tired. Percy matched her exhaust, however.

"Sure you are. You're... you're..." Percy paused, scrunching his eyebrows thoughtfully," you're such a Wise Girl." Annabeth stared at him blankly for a few seconds, blinking a couple times.

" _Wise Girl?"_ Annabeth laughed then, rolling her eyes at his ridiculousness. "Well you're a... um... you're a Seaweed Brain," she declared. "Wait," she added after a second, mentally out of it. "That didn't come out right."

Percy burst out laughing, clearly _way_ closer to being sober than Annabeth. " _Seaweed Brain?!_ That's worse than Wise Girl!" he teased, poking fun at her.

"Shut up," Annabeth snapped darkly, or she _tried_ to. His laughter was much too contagious.

"Shit, Chase, you must be really drunk to conjure up something so stupid!" he grinned sideways at her, Annabeth returning his look with a _pleasant_ death glare. Percy still smiled, seemingly unaffected, therefore only pissing Annabeth off more.

"Fuck you," she cursed at him, causing Percy to only erupt in more laughter. Annabeth evidently spit more profanity when she was drinking. Without her flawless brain to rely on, it was all she could do. And maybe, just maybe, she relished in the feeling of being out of control, only if for a little while. Even from standing up there of the roof, Percy and Annabeth were both able to hear the commotion from downstairs. The building full of big names chanting the countdown to the new year reached their ears. They would all be kissing their hearts out, Annabeth knew. Neither Percy nor Annabeth moved any closer towards each other: they weren't like that. There wasn't even a 'they.' It was casual, that's all.

"Well, Chase, though we don't always see eye to eye, but there's no one else I'd rather be standing next to for the New Year," Percy announced, eyes still glued to the horizon.

"Ditto," she heard herself say.

"And," he continued," I fucking hate everyone else down there," Percy finished.

"Amen," Annabeth snorted, clinking her crystal glass against his, relishing in the loud, too loud, fireworks that suddenly exploded, notifying the both of them that the ball had dropped. Cheers exploded downstairs. Hopefully the fireworks would drown out her own mind- something she could never seem to escape. The colors reflected on her face, lighting up her tan skin with hues of bright reds, blues, and greens under the dark night sky.

"You don't believe in God," Percy retaliated, snorting himself. It wasn't really a question, more like a statement, like he was so confident in knowing her.

"No, I don't," Annabeth agreed, peering out over the ledge. She was very aware of Percy eyeing her, how he was watching how far she leaned towards the edge, making sure she didn't fall to her death. At the least, she appreciated it. "You don't believe in New Year's resolutions," Annabeth stated after a few moments of silence. Hers sounded more like a question.

Percy's mouth tilted slightly, a muscle in his cheek twitching from amusement. "Never." Despite toasting with each other and though Annabeth was drinking her glass, Percy had began to feel sick and had put his glass down on the ledge, dangerously close to falling enough, though they both knew it never would. He felt sick drinking all that liquor. He felt even more sick holding so much alcohol when standing so close to Annabeth. Percy didn't know why that wave of nausea suddenly washed over him, but he listened to himself and quit drinking the liquid. It certainly wasn't the amount he'd drank. He was barely tipsy and held his alcohol well. No- this was something else.

Annabeth interrupted- _freed_ him from his thoughts with her words. Small puffs of air exhaled from her lips into the cool sky as she spoke, leaving Percy unable to do anything but gaze at her mouth when she spoke, as soon as he'd torn his sea green eyes away from the city. Together they stood, allowing the cold night wind to wash over them, allowing the winter weather to seep into their bare, exposed strips of skin and sober them up.

"I don't believe in them either," she whispered quietly.

 **A/N: After posting the last chapter, I realized I'd delved way too much into the food details haha. I think I was hungry when writing that :P (PS I'm sorry for the few lightning puns I made when describing Thalia lol. Just couldn't help myself.)**

 **aaquater: It's not mean at all! I kind of wanted you guys to see that Annabeth's not a perfect golden girl. I really wanted her to apologize, I really did. But I realized that would probably be too ooc. I love Rick and all, but personally I think he makes Annabeth _too_ perfect in the books. I think she should have more flaws, or at least stronger ones than the ones he gave her in the books. Same with Percy. He hinted at Percy's flaws way more than Annabeth's, thank god, so it wasn't nearly as unrealistic, but I'd like to make him more real, if that makes any sense. I realize that so far in this story, Percy seems close to perfect. (Not to mentioned, overpowered :P)**

 **Maybe just a _past_ womanizer and a victim of abuse, but other than that, he's been fairly loyal and flawless. That will _definitely_ change for him, Piper, Jason, everyone hopefully :) Everyone's fatal flaws have been made official through the books: Percy, Annabeth, Jason, Piper, Leo, Thalia, Nico, etc. I'm probably going to try and circle around the same kinds of flaws in this story for those certain characters, except maybe Percy. I kind of feel like changing him up a little bit. Maybe loyalty with a side of jealousy? Not sure yet. ****Annabeth, as well as everyone else, still has a long way to go. Hopefully, near the end of the story they will have all changed for the better.**

 **Anyways, thanks for reading everyone. I'm sorry this author's note was kind of long; I usually try not to do that. And for those of you already released into the sweet bliss of summer vacation, I hope you're all enjoying it. I just got out on June 15th and I've never felt more free in my entire life XD Bye, see you all in two weeks!**


	19. Blue Hydrangeas

**A/N: Hi guys. Here's the next chapter!**

Percy's career had really kicked off, attracting all types of fans, so much so that Annabeth had decided to help encourage spreading his music. Annabeth suggested a few ideas and finally, Percy went on a nationwide tour in January. Annabeth stayed back in New York, working, what else? It seemed like Percy was her own source of spontaneity and excitement in her life. Piper was spontaneous too, but she strayed away from surprising Annabeth, knowing full well that Annabeth's idea of fun was much, _much,_ different than her own.

Mid-January, Annabeth's mundane routine was finally shaken up. Completely exhausted and finished with the majority of her responsibilities for the time being, Annabeth decided to drop by one of Percy's shows. He'd even told her to come visit during the month, mentioning how he didn't want her dying of boredom back in the office (much to Annabeth's protests). Piper told her to stop being a lonely hermit and go enjoy a night or two. Calypso had finally thrown a pillow at Annabeth, who was a moping, tired mess all the time. Deciding to take a break from her conventional day, Annabeth went to one of Percy's shows, with average expectations, and a thirst for something new.

Annabeth made her way down to the VIP entrance behind the stage. Percy would probably be getting prepared right about then; it was already only fifteen minutes until his starting act finished and he went on. Annabeth's ears blocked out the roar of the crowd, her cheeks flushing the heat of the arena as she entered. The excitement of the fans transferred into her very soul, giving her a bit of an adrenaline rush. She pushed the sleeves of her over-sized jean jacket up her forearm, her heels clicking against the hard floor. Annabeth very much regretted wearing a jacket, she'd forgotten how warm it could get at concerts. She had been thinking practically for the weather of winter, forgetting that she would mainly be indoors.

Though Annabeth didn't often come to her artists' tours like some other managers did, everyone behind set knew her simply from her straight face, tan skin, blonde 'Californian' curly hair, and of course, her stormy grey eyes that she shared with none other than Athena Stone. She nodded politely at those who made eye contact with her, and simply watched the others as they scurried about, preparing. The energy levels were through the roof and Annabeth took a deep breath, trying to calm herself as everyone rushed around her.

"Ms. Stone," Annabeth's head whipped around in slight surprise. Though she was supposedly used to being addressed by that name, it still always caused a spiky feeling to ripple through her blood; that was her mother's name. She wasn't sure she'd ever become accustomed to it, no matter how much time passed. Annabeth's gaze landed on a lean young man, most likely only a year or two older than herself, with light toffee eyes and cocoa-colored hair. He walked briskly over to her, his headset tangled slightly in a few locks of hair near his ear. He appeared to be maybe only slightly taller than Percy.

Annabeth blinked. Why the fuck was she comparing his height to Percy's? Brushing off her thoughts, she peered into his eyes. "Yes?"

"Ms. Stone, thank _god_ you're here," he let out a deep, worried breath. "Miss, Mr. Jackson's hair and costume executive just reported that he doesn't seem so well. And-" the boy stopped talking, cut off by a voice speaking rapidly in his earpiece.

He seemed to pale slightly as the voice spoke longer. "Ms. Stone, I'm afraid Mr. Jackson is freaking out- over something?" He paused. "Pardon me, Barb?" he said, questioning the lady on the other end of the tiny microphone. "Fuck, really?"

He looked up at Annabeth. "He's in the room down the hall, first door on the right," he explained quickly, rushing off to attend to other work as Barb said something in his ear.

Annabeth stood there for a second, stunned by the whole conversation. She then turned on her heels, walking quickly down the hallway, in search of Perseus. A middle aged lady came out of the first door, wide eyed and clearly worried. She spun to look at Annabeth, forehead crinkling with concern. "Ms. Stone! I heard you were here. He's in here," she said quickly, opening the door slightly for Annabeth, before running off to finish other tasks.

Annabeth turned the dark corner, pushing open the door, not knowing what to expect. She softly swung the heavy door shut behind her, her bracelet jingling as she did so. "Jackson?" she said, hesitating to walk in. She heard a shift behind a few other doors inside the room, before one swung open- the one that lead to the bathroom. Percy stepped out, eyes wild, hair crazier, cheeks flushed, and eyes watering.

She sucked in a deep breath at his terrible state. "You look like hell," Annabeth commented, sitting down on a chair near all the hair products they used to tame his hair. Not like it looked to have stayed. Percy's hair was back in its unruly state, evident that he'd run his hands through it in worry many, many times.

He chuckled humorlessly. "Thanks," he retorted, wiping his face dry of tears. Annabeth couldn't remember a time when she'd seen him cry; he was usually so reserved with his deeper emotions. "Didn't think you'd be here," he said, voice tense. "Glad you are though," he whispered quietly, on the verge of fucking crying again.

"Shut up and sit down," Annabeth replied calmly (if she wasn't calm, who would be?) She patted a seat next to herself, urging for him to relax, just for a second. Percy obediently sat down next to her, unable to stop a few more tears from falling from his dark eyelashes. Annabeth's hearts squeezed painfully, but she ignored the urge to comfort him like a girlfriend would. It simply wasn't her place.

Percy's mind flashed with memories now. He didn't know why, why all of a sudden, why at the worst moment, why him. He figured the blue hydrangea bouquet on his room's table had probably triggered the emotions. Because yes, boys did have favorite flowers too, and yes, those had also been Sally Jackson's favorites. And fuck if he didn't miss his mom _all the time_ , because yes he was the biggest momma's boy alive as a little boy. Because she was a fucking angel on Earth, because she didn't deserve to die when he was so young. Because her warm smile and caress haunted him every waking moment, and every sleeping moment too.

"Start from the top?" Annabeth offered. They had fifteen minutes, and lord knows she was going to patch him up as best as she could. Nobody else had managed to calm him down, but she had no doubts that she could. It wasn't that she was special or anything. She just knew about his backstory and knowing it added some much depth to him. Percy let out a half laugh, an empty one. He sniffled quietly. Annabeth reached over onto the table next to them, plucking a Kleenex tissue and handing it to him. He blew his nose, crying a little less now.

"I'm good, Chase," he said, shaking his head down at his lap, as he folded the tissue closed, before throwing it out. He grabbed another one from the box, taking a deep breath before staring at the wall across from them.

" _Percy_ ," she said, giving him a look. "If you were 'good' you wouldn't be having a fucking mental breakdown before a show," she smiled sympathetically at him.

"You're gonna think I'm stupid," he chuckled to himself, seemingly to have stopped crying, for now.

"I already do," she snorted, causing him to smile slightly, though he still stared at the floor.

"Blue hydrangeas," Percy mentioned after a moment of silence. Annabeth paused. She wasn't sure what she'd been expected, but she certainly hadn't anticipated Percy spouting flower names. Patiently, she waited, figuring there was more to it than a couple flowers.

"Those?" she asked, pointing to the bloomed flowers in a vase of water on his dresser. He nodded solemnly. They shared another moment of silence while he collected his thoughts.

"They were my mom's favorite flower," he muttered softly. Annabeth quietly noted the use of the word 'were', remembering how he'd broken down that one morning, telling her about the car crash that killed his mother, Gabe, the plane crash that killed his grandparents, his deadbeat father. "My favorite too."

"Oh," was all she said. "I'm guessing they're the reason of your current mental state?" Percy nodded slightly, quietly twirling a pin he'd found on his seat in his fingers.

"Stupid, right? Flowers shouldn't make all my mental resolve crumble." He sighed, closing his eyes for a moment.

"They symbolize things," she shrugged, not quite answering his question. "And I don't think it's stupid," Annabeth replied when he didn't open his eyes. They flickered open, landing on her. "Feel better now?" she asked, locking gazes with him. He hesitated, nodding a little. "Hey, look," Annabeth started. "Just get through your show, and I'll take you out for milkshakes and soft pretzels after?" she offered.

Percy recalled when Annabeth had mentioned eating soft pretzels when she was sad a while ago. Offering a small smile in return, he nodded quietly. "And I'll be right in row number zero with cameras if you need me," she promised. Percy nodded again. Annabeth stood up, pulling another tissue out of the box on the table. She wiped his eyes, trying to rid him of the tears, and then tossed the tissue out. "Now, to fix your hair," she frowned, inspecting the mop on his head. A very endearing mop, at that.

"...sorry," he apologized, cringing. "I tend to run through my hand through my hair when... yeah." Percy looked down. "That girl did such a nice job with it and everything," he added on guiltily.

"Nonsense," Annabeth declared, waving away his worries, brushing the white tshirt on him out smooth. Eyeing the bottles of gel and various other hair products, Annabeth selected a strong holding gel and a hairbrush. Biting her lip in concentration, Annabeth smoothed out his hair in _relatively_ one direction, and applied a little gel with the hopes of mastering the bedhead look. It wasn't perfect, but Percy looked perfect no matter what. She pulled away after a couple minutes, pleased with the final outcome. "It's not as good as the girl who did it for you in the beginning," she figured, "but it'll last."

Percy stood up to tower over her slightly. "Thank you," he murmured, putting his hands on her shoulders.

"It's just hair," Annabeth shrugged slightly, modestly. Percy shook his head at her.

"I didn't mean the hair," he said softly. Annabeth nodded, a flush rising on her cheeks from being under his intense gaze for so long. A knock came on the door, followed by a harsh slamming open of the door.

"He's on in two minutes!" a woman declared, shoving Percy through the door and away from Annabeth, much to both of their surprise. Annabeth laughed to herself at his shocked expression. She watched him being dragged away from herself, following after a couple minutes, to watch him go out onto stage, under the strobe lights, heat, and in front of the world.

When she caught up to him, he was waiting behind the edge of the curtain, his guitar strapped to his back as he peered out at the roaring crowd. The man over the speaker began to say his name, causing the crowd to go nuts, cheering and chanting. Feeling her presence approach behind him, Percy spun around to face her. The timer next to him counted down, telling him when he needed to go out and do his thing. His sea green eyes locked with silver orbs for a second, before his warmth wrapped around Annabeth. Stunned, Annabeth hugged him back, before hearing it. A tiny 'thank you' escaped his lips, brushing against her ear, before he pulled away and walked out onto the stage. The crowd's excitement tripled with his presence, Annabeth feeling the ghost of his warmth linger around herself.

A blissful smile graced Annabeth's features. "Good luck," she whispered, though his back was faced to the curtain and her, even though he wouldn't hear it. "Even if you don't need it."

* * *

"You weren't _half bad_ ," Annabeth teased, swirling her strawberry milkshake around in her cup with the matching pink bendy straw. That was about as close as Annabeth would ever get to complimenting him.

"It was so much fun!" Percy exclaimed, laughing, a chocolate milkshake with a blue straw in his hand. At first, their plan had been to sit outside in the cold night air, enjoying their warm soft pretzels and cool milkshakes, but that plan had been muddled when it became apparent that Percy would be recognized everywhere. Even going to fetch the milkshakes had been terrifying, fans and paparazzi sprouting from every nook and corner of the city. It was already over the press that Percy was in town for the concert, so god knows everyone and anyone would attack him anywhere. As much as Percy adored his fans, a guy needed privacy. Besides, what if they slipped up? A simple flirty nudge of the elbow could send them spiraling out.

Annabeth had finally sent him back to the Uber, getting the drinks and food from the shop herself. She was famous too, and easily recognizable, but she didn't get bombarded with fans. That's just not how it worked. People often were surprised, shocked, awed, but not losing their minds and waving pens in her face. Cameras, however, were still an issue. But she was alone, she was used to it like this.

Now they sat in Percy's hotel room, sharing food, stories, and jokes. Percy was retelling a fan who had shown up with Fiji water to give him, probably after reading many bogus magazine articles about Mr. Jackson himself. Annabeth laughed, noting the way Percy's eyes and expressions, impressive accents, and body demeanor changed while telling the story. Like a full blown, hot-shot actor. No doubt that would be something Percy would be getting into soon, based off the way Hollywood was eating him up already.

After about half an hour of fooling around and enjoying themselves, Annabeth glanced at the clock in a content exhaustion. "Well, I better get going," she said, beginning to stand up. She reached for her phone and charger that she'd set on the table next to her suitcase. Annabeth had brought her suitcase straight to the concert, and as a result she'd had to bring it Percy's room too, not that he'd minded. In fact, he'd dragged it into the elevator and into his room for her, despite her protests. Which had also resulted in some tired, silly suitcase racing, and hiding from hotel staff who might bust them in their childish acts.

Percy spoke up, surprising both of them. "No, don'ttttttt," he said playfully, scooting over and reaching for her. Percy pouted up at her with his infamous, melting, seal eyes. Annabeth laughed, flicking his hair out of his face.

"I've got to go, Jackson, I said I'd be staying at a cousin's apartment tonight," she chastised, thoroughly amused. He pouted more, causing her to laugh and roll her eyes. "I'm serious," she said, sounding anything but serious.

"Pleaseeeeee," he pleaded, like a little child. Which, Annabeth supposed, he really was sometimes. "You could stay here for the night," he suggested. "With me?" She smacked his chest.

"Let me go, Jackson, you know I can't. For the same reason you couldn't move in with me," Annabeth tried to reason, her resolve slowly crumbling.

"You'd have to get a ride at this time of night. That's dangerous in a city that you don't know as well," Percy reasoned as well. "Plus, nobody has to know," he whispered. "You could just text your cousin to lie for you, any good cousin would surely do that," he cocked his head to one side slightly, like an adorable little baby sea creature.

Annabeth paused for a moment, hating herself for contemplating the invitation in the first place. She should turn him down, the rational side of her brain knew that with a certainty. "I fucking hate you," she said, pulling out her phone, much to Percy's delight. He laughed, falling back onto his bed, peering up at her with a lazy smile. Annabeth texted her cousin. Besides, Percy _was_ right: she'd much rather not have to travel to another house, not now, she was much too tired. _And of course_ , she didn't mind staying with him.

Half an hour later, Percy had showered, brushed his teeth, and was sprawled over the bed covers. Annabeth was changing into pajamas after exiting the shower. Her _elegant_ sleepwear consisted of an old t shirt and fuzzy shorts, long flannel pants if it was chilly. That night she wore grey fuzzy shorts and a blue old t shirt with the words: _6th Grade Mathletes_ on the front. Percy climbed into bed, wearing boxers and a t shirt. Usually, he slept properly dressed due to Gabe. He eyed her shirt as he slid under the cool sheets, silently reading the text. " _6th_ grade _Mathletes?"_ he remarked, smirking slightly. "Oh my god, Annabeth, of course _you_ were on a math team," he smirked.

Annabeth glared at him and teasingly put her hands on her hips. "I'll have you know, we won gold that year," she replied sassily, causing him to chuckle to himself. Annoyed, she whacked him with a pillow a few times before climbing into the bed herself. Percy held up his hands in surrender, his shoulders shaking with laughter.

"Okay, okay," he protested. "How the hell does it fit you?" he asked, laughter dying down after some time. "It's from grade _6_ , Chase."

Annabeth shrugged, laying down to face him. "Piper's just as amazed as I am." Percy began to laugh again and Annabeth glared at him once more. "What's so funny?"

"That's amazing and all, but-" he laughed, cracking up, cutting himself off, "-I'm more interested in how ridiculous you must've looked floating in that shirt back in 6th fucking grade."

"Oh my _god_!" she smacked him with the pillow one last time, for good measure, hiding a begrudging smile, and then quickly turned around, facing away, and shut off the lamp on the nightstand.

"Oh come on, don't be like that," Percy protested while laughing, trying to pull her close to him, unsuccessfully. She smacked his hand and he laughed some more. After some more time of snickering and poking fun at Annabeth, though not unkindly, Percy cocked his head to one side slightly, his eyes glittering. "Oh come on, Chase, don't be mad." He pulled her towards his warm chest again, tucking her snug between his arms, his chin resting above her head gently, and Annabeth couldn't help but smile to herself, though she didn't respond. And that's just how they fell asleep: a blissful smile gracing Annabeth's features, and Percy's arms wrapped protectively around her.

 **A/N: That's it for now! There'll probably some Jasper drama next chapter, for those who are curious :P**

 **aaquater: Crap, crappppp, you're right. It should've been December snow, not February :/ I went back and fixed it as soon as I read your review, but I'm really sorry. I guess I must've just not caught that continuity problem... Anyways, thanks for letting me know; your help is much appreciated. :)**

 **To everyone who reads this story: Don't ever hesitate to call me out when I fuck up! I very much could use a smack in the head once in a while :D**

 **Cheerra12: Drama, that's what :)**


	20. Trouble In Paradise

**A/N: Yo, here's the next chapter. Btw, I've decided to keep Jason's fatal flaw from the books in this story; I thought it was fitting. Hope you like it!**

 **(PS, I realize it's kind of late, but I wasn't posting the next chapter last weekend since I post every two weeks, but I just wanted to wish a Happy 4th of July to all my fellow Americans. :)**

 **StellaAthena36: Thanks for reviewing! And yeah, I apologize for any mistakes in my writing. I'm rather lazy with editing unfortunately, which I know isn't a valid excuse. I'm trying to be better about it, though, so hopefully the number of errors will decrease with each new chapter. :)**

 **Also, totally unrelated, but is anyone else having glitches with fanfiction with reviewing stories? Like they don't show up until 15+ hrs later? Or problems where new chapters won't show up in stories that you're reading even though it says that the story's been updated just recently? Just curious because I've been having problems with it myself.)**

 **Now onto the story!**

"Percy, you're gonna get played," Thalia tried to explain, sitting on the table next to his microphone, leaning casually on one hand of hers with perfectly painted black nails. A tattoo of a huntress and a bear crawled up her forearm, reaching her spiky punk bracelet. The three of them dressed fairly similarly in casual situations: the rockstar, punk kind of look that frightened members of society and reflected their lack of _giving a fuck._ Nico sat quietly in the corner, not saying much. He had never been the type to speak a lot, but when he did, people listened. It didn't matter anyways: Thalia had enough words to last for the three of them combined.

"You can't play a player," Percy scoffed, though near perfectly disguised strain in his voice was so easy for people like Thalia and Nico to pick out, them being close friends of his for so, so long.

"Yes, she can, and she _will._ Her mother's a fucking she-demon, her daughter's got to be a shark as well," Thalia reasoned.

"You can't define people by their parents, Thals," Percy shot back, not sure why he was defending her to them. They were probably right, he was falling in too deep, too fast. The three of them knew each other better than they knew themselves; he should just follow their advice and quit causing trouble for himself.

Thalia raised an eyebrow at his words. "Oh, but can't you?"

"If we were to define people by parentage, I would be either a complete sweetheart or total jackass," Percy insisted, referring to Sally and his biological father.

"But aren't you?" Thalia was also direct. "Perce, quit lying to yourself. Your moral compass has never pointed exactly due north. You're a flirt, a player, and a dick like your father was," Thalia bit back in his face. Percy didn't flinch, he knew she was A, right, and B, just trying to protect him. "But you're also kind, thoughtful, generous, caring," she continued. "You're the sweetest asshole I've ever met. You're your parents, you always will be. _We_ always will be. There's always going to be a part of us that is them, no matter what," Thalia spoke carefully, picking her words slowly. "You can't deny that. They raised us, after all. Even if it sometimes felt like we were raising ourselves, both alone, and together, the three of us." Thalia's face darkened.

Nico twisted the skull ring on his pointer finger, gazing from Percy to Thalia, back and forth. Percy hesitated. "My father wasn't even around, how could he raise me?"

"How could he not?" Thalia bitterly muttered. "He still raised you, Perce. Terribly, sure, but he did. He taught you not to trust, he taught you to fight for yourself, he taught you the world doesn't owe you a fucking cent. He taught you the cruel reality of the world through his actions, Percy, whether you see it or not." Percy swallowed thickly, knowing deep down that she was right.

"Look, Percy, fuck as many girls as you want, seduce all you want, flirt till you die, and if you decide you want to settle for a girl, then go for it. But not that blonde chick," Thalia advised, shaking her head at him. "Nico and I are proud of you for your music, don't get me wrong, but she's a snake. She'll use you, it's all a business hype, a career promoter. I can't even _begin_ to explain to you what's wrong with people in power like her."

"Annabeth's different," Percy said quietly, nearly whispering.

"For fuck's sake, Perce," Thalia growled. "She's going to break your heart! That's what bitches like her do. It's the way they were raised!"

"What about Rachel, then?" Percy countered, bring up his dear, longtime friend Rachel Elizabeth Dare. She was the daughter of a powerful businessman, but wanted nothing more than to get out of the spotlight and stay forever in her paint-splattered overalls, and become a professional, full time painter. Instead, she forced into the family business: Dare Enterprises. She was about the same level as Annabeth, but she hadn't embraced _nearly_ as much. Both Thalia and Nico had met her on countless occasions and loved her, especially Thalia. Nico tended to be pickier with the humans he chose to associate himself with, but he still tolerated Rachel, enjoying her company sometimes.

"Carrot top is different," Thalia said, using the nickname she called Rachel. "She wants nothing to do with her sick, cruel business. And she fucking _knows_ it. Blondey is different. She embraces that bullshit, using it to her advantage, climbing corporate ladders like they're made of nothing. She'll walk all over your heart with her sky-high stilettos."

"And Jason? What about your little brother?" Percy shot back. Thalia's cheeks flushed with anger. "Doesn't he work in the same industry? He's Zeus' little puppet, isn't he?"

"My little brother is _none_ of your business, Perseus Jackson. You know better than to talk about him. You leave him out of this!" Thalia accused, her fists balling up. Nico gently stood in front of Thalia, ready to stop her if things got out of hand. It wouldn't be the first time she socked him, because to be honest, sometimes he deserved it.

"I know," Percy sighed, muttering an apology under his breath. "Nico," he turned to face the smaller boy, a pleading expression on his face.

"Sorry, Perce," he said softly, shaking his head at the taller, raven-haired boy. "I'm with Thals on this one."

"Seriously?" Percy murmured under his breath. "So what do you want me to do, then? Never speak to her again? I can't exactly do that, Thalia, if you haven't noticed, I kind of _work_ with her."

"That didn't stop you from getting in her pants," Thalia glared at him, her ice blue, cold eyes burning into his very fucking soul.

"Shut the fuck up," he countered. Typically, the three of them got along just fine, but whenever dispute broke out it was usually between Thalia and Percy. Nico was too indifferent to get caught up in arguments, but both Percy and Thalia harbored alpha-like feelings, causing them to butt heads from time to time. But they were both nice people, deep down. Like they'd ever admit it.

"Just make sure it's only work," she said with a tired sigh. "Keep your distance unless you have to do work with her, Percy," Thalia finished gently.

Percy sighed as well, anger dissipating. They all just wanted what was best for one another; jumping at one another's throats pointlessly wouldn't do anything, but break more bonds. He leaned back up against the table in defeat, pushing out all thoughts of _she's different._ "Okay," was all he chose to say.

* * *

"It doesn't matter if I'm wrong or not, it doesn't fucking matter, Jason!" Piper felt like crying when she was upset, and it was no different now. "You should've backed me up, no matter what. It doesn't matter who's right and who's wrong. I'm your girlfriend, and I was your friend even before that. Friendship precedes being right or wrong, as it always should!" Tears of frustration smarted Piper's eyes.

"You can never make decisions. Ever!" Piper hardly raised her voice, but she couldn't help it now. She had no way of expressing her bottled up emotions that she harbored towards her boyfriend. "Sometimes I just want you to _choose._ God, Jason, just once in a blue moon. I remember," she shook her head at him, on the verge of tears, "I remember wanting to go to the movies once. And you agreed, so we went. I usually pick the movies so I asked you to, just _once_ Jason, once." Piper looked up at the blonde-haired, blue-eyed young man standing in front of her, in all his 6'1" glory. "You couldn't choose. I remember it so vividly." Jason remembered too, he knew _exactly_ what she was talking about. He hadn't thought it'd upset her so much...

"But I let it go. It wasn't a big deal, it was just a movie. But this. This?! That man at the grocery store outright insulted, Jason! He fucking objectified me, and when I stood up for myself, the man just sneered at you like the fucking pig he was, made some inappropriate comment, and what did you do? You said you had to listen to both sides of the story." She was just stating facts, tears forming in the wells of her orbs now. Piper was utterly and completely furious.

"What is _wrong_ with you?" she bit out, the salty drops sliding down her face, splashing to the ground. Jason stood there, silent, stone-like.

"Piper, I-" he swallowed, he didn't know what to even say. She was right, he knew she was right. "Piper, look, I'm sorry, okay? I'm really, really fucking sorry. I should've- I should've stood up for you, I should've backed you up. You're right, I know I messed up, I just- I'm so used to having to hear both sides, okay? I'm sorry." Jason felt stiff, unable to speak like he wanted. Since when had things gotten so complicated.

Piper stared at him for a few seconds, quiet and deadly, her tears leaking quickly. "I'll see you later," she said, sniffling, turning to leave.

"Piper, wait!" Jason called after her, reaching out to stop her.

"Don't touch me," she snapped out, grabbing her coat and shrugging it over her shoulders. She still looked beautiful, she always did- red-nosed, watery-eyed, crying and everything. It was a curse, in her opinion.

"Piper," he breathed, truly at a loss for words. Jason just looked at her, helpless.

"I'm going home," she said curtly, drying her tears on her sleeve. The brunette turned, not quite storming out of his place, but still leaving angrily, upset more than anything else. The door clicked shut behind her as she walked out of his house. Jason swung open the door, staring out into the night after her. Piper hailed a cab, slamming the yellow car door closed. He should run out after her, he shouldn't let her leave so easily. He loves her more than anything in the world.

It doesn't even matter, because he lets her leave.

* * *

"Jackson!" Annabeth's voice rung through the air, causing Percy to flinch. His tour was long over, but all he could think about was the way she'd cuddled next to him in that hotel bed, and of the way she'd smacked with a pillow playfully. Of the way she looked in the mornings, her hair frizzed up, and a cute little tired look on her face. Of the way she slept, looking like an angel, frowns and concerns gone, if only for a moment. Still, Thalia's and Nico's words tainted every memory of the feisty blonde.

He turned to look at her, raising an eyebrow in question. "Come here," she beckoned him over to her office. Next to her stood a golden, straight haired girl. She was smaller than Annabeth with a sun-kissed glow, and almond eyes. The girl was wearing a white, sleeveless dress and very, very pretty. She had a warm smile, a really sweet smile that made Percy kind of uneasy. She seemed so nice and Percy, being the slightly arrogant, cocky guy he was, found it very awkward to be in her presence.

"This is Calypso," Annabeth gestured to the girl who waved as if on cue. "She's a really good friend of mine, and after hearing Piper gush all about you, she wanted to meet you as well."

"Oh, um... hey," Percy offered a smile to the very innocent seeming girl. "I'm Percy Jackson," he introduced himself, mentally chiding himself. She probably already knew who he was from Annabeth and Piper.

"I know," she laughed kindly, outstretching her own small, soft hand. "I'm Calypso like Annabeth said, but you can call me Callie if you want," she said pleasantly. Percy decided he liked her already, simply by the way she spoke.

"I'm getting coffee," Annabeth said, "you want one Perce?"

 _Perce._ "Thanks, but no," he replied, playing nice. She gave him an odd look, knowing Percy loved coffee, even if not as much as hot chocolate. Annabeth then walked off, leaving him alone with Calypso. "What about you? Do you want one?" Percy asked Calypso, trying to burn time while waiting for Annabeth to come back. What exactly was he supposed to say to her best friend?

"I only drink tea," Callie explained, laughing again, probably at Percy's stupidity.

"Oh," was all he said.

"So," she said, bringing up a new conversation in order to fill the wretched, empty silence. "Valentine's Day is coming up," Calypso murmured casually, admiring the building of Stone Records.

"Yeah," was all Percy said, scowling a little despite himself.

"Not a fan?" Calypso asked, not really surprised.

"Not really," Percy admitted.

"You know Valentine's Day is just about love in general. It doesn't have to be romantic love," she chuckled at the expression on his face. "You could get chocolate for your friends or parents, or something," she shrugged. "You don't need to bribe some girl," Calypso smiled to herself, amused by Percy's distaste for the holiday.

Percy ignored the parents comment, not wanting to open that can of worms to practically a stranger. "My friends and I aren't really like that," he mentioned.

"Suit herself," Calypso shrugged easily, not offended. "I think Valentine's Day is a little overrated actually," she spoke up.

"Really?" Percy inquired, caught off guard. He figured, based off the fact that she'd brought up the subject in the first place, that she was one of those girls who absolutely adored the idea.

"Yeah. I think if you really love some, platonically or otherwise, you should show your appreciation and admiration all year long."

"It's just a marketing strategy," Percy added for her.

"Exactly," Calypso agreed, laughing. "Good for them though," she continued. "At least they're getting profits," she smiled at him. Percy couldn't help but smile back; her easygoing attitude was so much unlike Annabeth, but Percy found it very relaxing and enjoyable.

"Piper loves Valentine's Day though," Calypso muttered thoughtfully. "She's quite the romantic," a smile graced her features as she pondered fondly about her good friend. "Annabeth, however, has never enjoyed it. She's quite the buzzkill sometimes," Calypso looked at the glass above them, speaking on and on without requiring Percy to reply. He liked that.

"Really? Would she throw a box of chocolates away then?" Percy laughed to himself, easily able to imagine Annabeth ranting passionately about why Valentine's Day was a tragic, horrible holiday. She often got like that.

"If _you_ buy her the chocolates, I'm sure she wouldn't mind," Callie smirked, Percy startled in surprise at her directness. Annabeth came back, holding a cup in her hand.

"Thanks for keeping her company," she said carefully, Percy still standing there dumbfounded at Calypso's comment. "I hope she wasn't too much trouble and didn't pry at anything," Annabeth teased, giving Calypso a knowing look.

"No, she's very nice," Percy said, almost automatically, glancing down at the shorter girl. "I better go, I have work to get back to."

"Of course," Annabeth waved him away. "See you later, Jackson."

"It was nice meeting you," Percy said nicely to Calypso, genuinely meaning his words despite her innuendo at the end.

"It was a pleasure," Calypso assured him, casting him a knowing glance before he walked away. A warm, fuzzy feeling took over Percy's insides as he stalked away, the conversation running, replaying through his brain.

* * *

Percy sunk in the black couch, relishing in the darkness that his own private room provided him. He didn't bother turning on the light, satisfied to blend into the shadows as he sat by himself, silent. His mind wandered, hopping like a New York subway passenger, from train to train, memory to memory.

 _Percy slipped into Annabeth's office, waiting patiently for her to notice him. He, of course, knew already that she was well aware of his presence- she was sharp like a bird searching for its prey, but she as choosing to ignore him for the moment. Still, the begrudging smile on her lips did not go unnoticed by his own gaze. After a few moments, she looked up, feigning surprise when seeing him sitting in the chair across from her._

 _"May I help you?" she asked delicately, a slight lilt in her own voice. Her pretty, wild grey eyes reeled him, inviting him to come and try, just try with her._

 _"Do you think fish feel wet?" Percy pondered, conjuring up some stupid comments to bother her. After teasing her with stupidity for a couple moments, his face coming closer and closer to hers with every comment that slipped from his mouth, she shoved his face away, laughing at his antics. To him, her laugh was one of the best sounds in the world, second to only the laugh of his own mother's- a sound his ears had been long deprived of but he still had not, and refused to forget._

 _"Sooooo, acquaintance-," he began, but was quickly cut off._

 _"Oh, shut up Jackson," she said with an amused smirk on her face._

 _Percy put a hand over his heart, pretending to be offended. "I'm shocked, Chase, are we no longer acquaintances? As I recall, you had called us that in the first place," he pointed out, hiding a smile of his own._

 _"Of course we still are, you dork," she insulted him so affectionately. Percy leaned forward to steal a kiss from her lips, but she casually shook her head no._

 _"There's cameras everywhere," she whispered all of a sudden, trying to appear as normal as possible. "Except for recording booths," her eyes glittered, making Percy's heart hammer in his chest and he feared for a second that she could hear it. Of course he knew that was illogical. "Because some artists feel uncomfortable during their vulnerable crying/singing moments," she explained, busying herself by peering down at the papers spread before her so conscientiously._

 _"And what do you wish for me to do with this information?" Percy teased gently. A muscle twitched in Annabeth's cheek._

 _"Do with it as you wish," was her reply, so careful, always careful. Sometimes he wished he could just rip away her careful image, leaving her vulnerable, and his eyes- flawless, beautiful._

 _He took her wrist suddenly, surprising her, and dragged her to his recording booth as non-suspiciously as possible. She protested, of course she did; Annabeth wouldn't be herself if she didn't. Percy peppered kisses on her neck, earning pleasure-filled shudders from Annabeth as his breath stirred small curls at the nape of her neck. It kind of tickled her exposed skin, making her itch in the best way possible, causing Percy to smirk knowingly. He knew the effect he had on her, but he wasn't quite she knew what she did to his soul and mind, though he was grateful for her obliviousness._

 _"I'd like to see you sing," Percy said all of a sudden, catching her off guard. Annabeth profusely refused, ranting about what a fool she'd make of herself, much to Percy's amusement. He laughed, claiming he'd get her to try at least one day, someday._

 _She rolled her eyes delicately, the corner of her mouth turning up in delight. Then she left, after a few more stolen kisses and trailing, ghost-like fingers brushing her skin and running through his already messy, uncontrollable hair._

 _"Your hair is a menace to society," she teased, her skin practically glowing as he scowled, his eyes still playful. She left to tend to other business, protesting that she has other clients and that her life doesn't revolve around him, much to Percy's dismay, though she said it all with a tone of amusement._

 _"I'm the most important one," he claimed, poking fun at her like he always did. She rolled her eyes again and Percy absentmindedly wondered how many times a day she did that or if she even realized how much she rolled her eyes. Not like it mattered. To him, it was still just as endearing as her witty commentary and bubbly, full laugh. Even though he's one of Annabeth's biggest artists, she still laughed off his claim and walked away, leaving him standing in the doorway of his booth, his hands in his pockets and a blissful smile gracing his features._

Percy exhaled a deep breath, thinking of her small mannerisms, though every memory was still tainted with Thalia's sharp words and Nico's indifferent, yet somehow still dark, expression. "Fuck," he said, unable to release his emotions any other way.

He was tearing himself apart, though he already had nothing to ruin in the first place. "Fuck," he repeated, at a loss for words as he sat in silence, staring at the wall opposite to him in the dark, trying not to think. Unfortunately, it seemed thoughts always haunted him, memories, both pleasant and not, of Annabeth, of his friends, of his mother, of Gabe, of _everyone_ because it seemed like nobody could leave him alone. Percy supposed he really was fucked over; nobody left him alone. Not even himself.

 **A/N: Eh, I didn't really like the way this chapter ended, but I was too lazy to find a new way to fix it :P**

 **Also, last Monday summer school started for me. I swear, it's not because I failed anything haha, but because I'm trying to finish some more required credits so I can take more interesting classes during the school year. But anyways, I just wanted to let you all know, because I apologize in advance if I accidentally skip a week in the near future. I've just got a lot on my plate, and adding summer school to the mix isn't very helpful. Still, I'll be trying my best to update every two weeks! :)**

 ***chokes* No fucking way. Did I seriously just hit 100 in favorites? *faints* Lol (but I actually _did_ cough a bunch when I first saw it haha).**

 **I don't even know how to thank you all! I'm sure 100 is little in comparison to most of you guys, and I _know_ based off the authors and stories I love that it's a very small piece of some other writers' successes. (Some people get above 1000, it's crazy! But they deserve it all :D They're very talented. Unlike myself lmao.)**

 **It's probably not a big deal, but you guys really made my day. Thank you so much for your support. I don't know- I just didn't think my story was any good at all. I'm rambling, I know I am. But just thank you, each and every one of you! (I'll stop talking now :P)**

 **Hope you liked the chapter in general. Leave me a review if you want, I love reading them. :) Until two weeks, bye guys and thank you again!**


	21. Leo Saves The Day

**A/N: Hey, guys. (I wonder who the first person to say _hello_ was?) ****Anyways, here's the next chapter. I hope this chapter finds you in good health and that you're making it through your day okay, at the least. :) I hope you like it!**

 **(PS I don't know if you guys noticed, but I changed the rating to T. One of my fanfic friends suggested it and so I'll be making the future gory scenes a tad less explicit. That's all. None of the plot will change though, I promise.)**

Percy was messing around in Thalia's apartment, twirling a shiny black device in his hands. Annabeth had forgotten her phone with him. They'd been to an event and though she had a clutch purse, it was much too small to fit her phone properly. Not to mention, those types of dresses didn't have any secret pockets or anything so she'd asked him to hold onto her phone for the time being.

Obediently, Percy had kept it safe in his pockets, not taking another glance at it. After all the performances, one of his own as well, they must have been so exhausted that they forgot entirely that he had her phone. Percy had only realized the morning after that he still had her glossy phone in his possession, and being a Saturday he couldn't exactly return it to her until Monday. This would mean that Annabeth would be a wreck all weekend, he was well aware, but there was nothing he could do about it. If he tried to go to her apartment, paparazzi were sure to catch him in the act and spin some rumors about the two of them. Percy didn't need her on his case if they got some interesting pictures.

Thalia watched him spin the phone in his hand, shaking her head at him as she ate some eggs for breakfast. "If you break that, her high and mighty self is going to kick your ass," her disdain for the blonde was clear in her tone. Percy rolled his eyes.

"I'm not going to break it, Thalia, that-" he was cut off by the phone slipping out of his hands at that exact moment. As if the Fates hated him. They probably did. The phone slid out of his hands and before he could catch it slipped right into the glass of water in front of him with a soft _plink._ Percy stared at it in horror, Thalia's eyes bugging out of her head for a moment. She then threw her head back and cackled at his mistake.

"Oh man, she's going to murder you!" Thalia laughed gleefully, pointing at the water drowned phone. Percy hastily pulled the phone out of the water and tried turning it on, his heart pounding, thrashing wildly in his chest. Nothing happened. _Fuck, fuck, fuck..._ He tried again and received the same result.

"It isn't funny, Thalia!" Percy snapped, angry at himself and at Thalia's reaction. "She's going to kill me!"

"I warned you," she singsonged, still smirking.

"Fuck off, I've gotta fix this before she kicks my ass."

Percy tried to think as he held the dripping device in his hands. He tried to dry it off with his t shirt, but it was to no avail. The water was probably already clogging up the insides of it. Percy had very much heard of the rice method, but he was irrationally afraid that it would fuck up the situation even more, and suck up more time than water; he knew he'd have to wait forever for the rice to do its job and it might not even work.

So he had only one solution. This solution revolved a small, scrawny Latino, with curly brown hair and a wild sense of humor. "Leo," Percy suggested, looking at Thalia. She just shrugged unhelpfully. Percy glared at her, frowning.

"You might as well try it," she suggested. "It's the best shot you've got."

Percy grabbed his keys and his jacket, heading straight to Leo's mechanic shop immediately. Leo was good with fixing _all_ things and Percy, though he had doubts, figured Leo would help him out with the phone and charge less than the usual electronics repairer. They were good friends.

Percy walked into a small shop twenty minutes later, the phone in his hands. "Leo!" he called out. The young man came out, black grease staining his white shirt and hands, a few smudges on his face as well.

"Percy!" his eyes lit up. "My man," he reached out and tapped his fist to Percy's, doing their bro-shake. "What's up with you?" he nodded his head at the look of despair on his face, and then his eyes traveled down to the thing in his hands.

"That's your phone? What happened?"

Percy shook his head. "Not mine... a colleague's," he hesitated on what to call Annabeth. "And she's going to kill me if I've broken it. I dropped it in water dude, please, I need your help."

Leo looked at him thoughtfully, and clicked his tongue thoughtfully. "I'm busy with a car right now," Leo said carefully, "but if you leave it here I might be able to take a look at it later today maybe."

Percy let out a heavy sigh and ran his fingers through his hair, his bad habit that he did when he was stressed, upset, under pressure, etc. After a moment he nodded slowly. "Alright." He breathed out again, pausing. "Okay, okay," he repeated. "Thanks so much, I- I really owe you one," he cocked his head at Leo.

Leo just smiled, a little mischievously like he always did. "Don't worry about it," he told Percy. "Now go away," he said, half-joking, half-serious, "I've got a job to get back to. Not all of us can live off singing crap, pretty boy," Leo told him, snorting. Percy grinned and clapped his hand on Leo's shoulder. He paid him in advance.

"Course. I'll come by tomorrow to pick it up?"

"Yeah man. See ya around!" Leo called after him as Percy left. Percy waved behind him before walking out of the door.

The next day rolled around, but Percy was busy, much too busy to pick up the device. He really needed to, today was Sunday, and if he didn't today, he'd be screwed by the time Monday came. So he reached into his own pocket, looking through his contacts. Calypso had given him her contact a while back and he needed her.

"Hey Callie," Percy greeted her as soon as she picked up the phone.

"Percy? What's up?" Calypso asked sweetly, her voice sounding a little different through the phone.

"I need a favor, please," Percy sounded anxious. After a moment of explaining the situation, Calypso simply laughed, agreeing to pick it up and return it to Annabeth as well, which she's suggested herself since she'd been planning to see Annabeth later that day anyways. Percy couldn't thank her enough and she just laughed it off, telling him it wasn't a big deal. When Percy hung up, he felt a wave of relief crash into him.

Calypso went to go pick up the phone. When she stood in front of the tiny shop, she couldn't help but glance at it curiously. She found it strange that a guy like Percy would go to such a small place such as this one, but she didn't think much of it. Holding her chin up high, and her white dress blowing in the breeze behind her, she walked into the store confidently.

"Hello?" she called out, her voice like honey. The door's hanging bell jingled as she entered the small shop.

"Hey, how may I help you... _uuuuu_?" Leo stretched out the last word in surprise. He turned the corner after he heard the bell, and he felt that if he were in a cartoon, his jaw would fall off and drop to the ground. Calypso was one of the prettiest girls he'd ever seen in his entire freaking life. With her caramel hair and toffee, almond-shaped eyes, she was absolutely drop-dead gorgeous. Her nose was slightly pink from the weather outside, but somehow that made her look even cuter and Leo was pretty sure he was making her uncomfortable by gawking, but he didn't seem to be able to stop.

"Hi!" Calypso greeted him brightly, seemingly unfazed by his blatant staring. "I'm Calypso, but you can call me Callie," she introduced herself first, as she always did. "I'm looking for Leo?" she asked curiously.

 _No you're not. I'm dreaming_. Leo swallowed thickly, trying to speak. "Um... um I'm Leo. Leo Valdez," he outstretched his hands, which were clean for once. Calypso shook it kindly and Leo thought her hands were the softest things he'd ever touched in his entire life, they were like actual clouds. She seemed to float everywhere too, just like a cloud as well.

"Oh, great!" she beamed at him. "I was sent here by Percy," she told him.

 _Thank god for Percy._ "Oh."

"He dropped one of my friends' phones in water," she laughed and it sounded so bubbly and sweet that Leo just wanted to make her laugh over and over again. "And he dropped it off here yesterday. He asked me to pick it up," Calypso explained briefly.

"Ohhhhh," Leo said, making the connection better once she explained herself.

He went behind the front desk counter and plucked a brand-new looking phone out of a drawer. "Here it is, good as new. But man did Perce do a real number on it," Leo whistled to himself, shaking his head at the glossy screen.

Calypso laughed. "Sounds like him."

"How do you know him?" Leo asked nervously, very much hoping this girl wasn't his girlfriend.

"One of my friends, a girl named Annabeth," Calypso began. The name Annabeth sounded familiar to Leo. "Annabeth, she's a music manager. And she's Percy's manager so I've met him quite a few times and he knows me now," she shrugged. That's why she sounded so familiar... "How do you know him?"

"Um.. I... we've been friends for a really long time. Known him since high school, so we go way back," Leo explained.

Calypso nodded. Leo blubbered on, unable to stop himself from talking, as he recounted various stories about Percy and him back in high school. He made jokes, and told funny stories, evoking quite a bit of amusement from Calypso. "So... yeah," Leo finished off with a small nod of his own. Callie bit her lip in careful consideration.

"High school sounds like it was fun," she commented and Leo nodded obediently. "Well," she held up the phone, "it was nice meeting you Leo." Leo's heart flipped in his chest when she said his name. "I'll see you around, I guess," Calypso looked around his shop once more. "And it looks like I've found a new place to come if my car breaks down," she joked. Leo suddenly wished anything in her house would break because he wanted to see her again.

"Bye, Leo!" Calypso waved to him as she left, stepping out into the February chill. He waved back like a little dork with a crush as she left and sighed once she was gone, putting his head on the counter.

What was wrong with him? A girl like her would never even bother with a boy like him. Leo had suffered with his feeling of inferiority for a long-ass time, but when girls or people in general like Calypso swirled into his life, it always got ten times worse. Leo forced himself to stand up and get back to work.

But even the comfort of working on the cars couldn't shake her pretty image out of his head.

* * *

It seemed as if every time he saw her, she was sitting in front of a laptop exhausted, and sometimes even half-asleep. It felt like the more days that passed by, the further they grew apart, and consequently the more Percy tore himself apart. He was destroying himself by holding onto something he couldn't have.

Now he sat across from Thalia in Nico's apartment, Nico playing with his video games, headphones on, fully immersed in a conversation with his fellow gamers, his arms jerking with every kill. Percy stared at the younger boy as he played; Percy swore that kid was a child on the inside, but only when it came to video games. Whereas Percy was a child on the inside all day long. Nico was cussing colorfully into the mouthpiece, speaking some nonsense about numbers and letters.

The green-eyed young man blinked, snapping his attention back to the eldest of the three friends- Thalia, who was going on and on about some stupid shit who'd tried to cross her earlier that day. Percy sunk lower in his chair and sighed; he loved his friends very, very much, but seriously? He supposed it would be better once the pizza got here and they were all occupied with sinking their teeth into cheesy goodness.

Still, he couldn't help but yearn for a certain someone.

"Percy!" Thalia called, catching his attention once more. It wasn't his fault. He really tried to remain engaged, but he _did_ have ADHD after all, and sometimes things would just pop in his mind. It was very distracting, he found. "Are you even listening to me?" Her sharp gaze, and slightly amused expression said that she _knew_ that he was indeed not listening, and should he say otherwise, she would snap his neck.

"No," he admitted after a moment. "Sorry. You were saying?" Percy sat up a bit, trying to pay attention, but Thals didn't launch back into her story. She just stared at him and it was starting to make him severely uncomfortable. The only time Percy held eye contact this long was when he was trying to seduce someone. Thalia was not this someone.

"Thinking of somebody?" Thalia inquired over Nico's mindless chatter.

"What?" Percy asked, maybe a little too quickly. "No," he said coolly.

Thalia rolled her eyes. "Does this certain someone have curly, Goldilocks, blonde hair and piercing grey eyes?" she asked and this time Percy rolled his eyes.

"No," he repeated a little defensively.

"Sureeeeee," Thals drew out the end of her word in the way she knew he hated.

"I'm not thinking of someone!" Percy raised his hands, trying to prove himself.

" _Sure_ ," Thalia did not look convinced, nor did she sound the slightest bit persuaded.

"You _know_ I have ADHD," Percy pointed out, trying to scramble for a believable lie. Thalia just snorted. "I'm just thinking of other things, like pizza," he added, hoping adding a little bit more detail would help make his case.

Thalia cocked an eyebrow at him. "Playing the ADHD card now, are we? We both know that you'd be totally into my story if your little pretty head didn't revolve around a single person."

"That is _not_ true," Percy said indignantly.

"Isn't it?" Thalia picked at her dark nail polish, trying to look bored. This was usual behavior from her when the both of them were on the verge of a dispute. Usually Nico was there to prevent any bloodshed, but the smaller Italian boy was absorbed in a different world entirely.

"Of course not," Percy's eyes glittered. "Your stories are terrible no matter what," he said sassily.

Thalia scoffed. "Oh, that's rich coming from _you."_

"Excuse me?" Percy raised a dark eyebrow of his own.

" _She's so pretty, I think I'm gonna pass out,"_ Thalia mocked, attempting to mimic his voice. Of course, she made it as high pitched as possible.

"Oh, please," Percy scoffed as well. "I have never said that in my entire life. And I don't sound like that!"

"Yes, yes you do," Thalia informed him. "You sound like a lovesick chick from Hallmark, ready to get swept off her feet by some sexy corporate owner." Thalia looked pointedly at him.

Percy couldn't help but wrinkle his nose in disgust. "It sounds like you're more into that than me," he countered, shuddering at her choice of adjectives.

"No way," Thalia shook her head at him.

"GET OUT OF THE ZONE!" Nico shouted, momentarily interrupting their mini argument. Thalia didn't even blink.

" _I_ would never hook up with some corporate owner."

"I never said I did either!"

"Oh, but you did. Just because you haven't admitted it out loud doesn't make it any less true," Thalia waved a finger at him and Percy felt like he was a child being scolded by a teacher. His brain wandered to images of Annabeth sprawled underneath him, his lips dipping to her tan, smooth skin... His eyes glazed over a bit.

"Percy!" Thalia called out, bringing him out of his daydreams. "Are you actually serious right now?"

Percy glared at her; they were both actual children but it was okay. "Oh, fuck off," he said causing Thalia to laugh. Percy stood up as the doorbell rang as if right on cue. He paid the pizza man, setting both boxes on the dining table, the scent of the food wafting over the entire room. Even Nico paused for a moment, sniffing suspiciously at the air.

Hardly a minute later, the three of them were surrounding the boxes, not even bothering to fish out plates, and devouring the pies. Nico eventually made his way over to the plates because Thalia and Percy were actual demons with no manners whatsoever, and set them out in front of the three of them. He rolled his eyes at his two friends, eating his pizza with content.

The food didn't hinder the previously escalating situation, but it did keep it from getting out of control. With food in their faces, it was hard to be completely angry at one another and much too difficult to be jumping at one another's throats. Nico ate quietly watching Thalia and Percy trade words back and forth, actually sounding like the civilized adults they were _supposed_ to be.

"So what's up?" Thalia asked him, chewing on the impossibly stretchy, gooey cheese.

"Nothing," Percy assured her, reaching for a third slice and holding it over his paper plate.

"Something's definitely up," Thals told him, "you're not usually this moody," she reminded him. "Spill bitch," she demanded, pointing a black, glossy nail at him.

Percy grumbled something under his breath and then let out a tired sigh. Despite it all, Nico and Thalia were always there to pick him back up when he fell. Thalia, usually by beating the shit out of his opponent with his insults and sass that would make him laugh, and Nico, with his undivided attention, small gestures, and quiet commentary. However, Percy knew that if his problems were a physical fight, little Nico could unleash hell upon his tormentor and that Nico was small, sure, but being the shortest out of the three of them, he was also closest to Satan for a reason. Percy would never cross the soft-spoken young man, knowing full well of Nico's capabilities, not only with his cursing but with his physical abilities.

"You were right," Percy mumbled quietly. He loathed when Thalia was right and she loved to gloat for at least a week. She restrained herself this time.

"Big surprise there," she said sarcastically. "About what this time?"

"What else? Little miss Goldilocks herself," Percy admitted, Nico staring at him with knowing. Thalia shook her head at him.

"So what'd she do to you?"

"Nothing."

"Nothing my ass, the fuck happened?" Her icy blue eyes were intimidating, more intimidating than Annabeth's in his opinion.

"Nothing, really. She's just... busy... with her work," Percy answered truthfully.

"So her work always comes first. Huh, who would've thought?" Thalia murmured as if pondering on the thought.

"Shut up," Percy snapped darkly. "I already told you, you were right. What else do you want me to do? Bow at your feet?"

Thalia didn't even snicker this time. "Percy," she said gently, and when she said his name like that, all soft and gentle, Percy's revolve crumbled.

"And I have to go to this _stupid_ event soon... and... and," Percy's words never trembled, he was never the type of man to waste time on tears, not if he could help it. Percy blabbered on about his situation, about her pushing him away slowly but surely, pouring his heart out and devouring more pizza. Thalia and Nico just watched, neither saying anything for once, until he was completely and totally done. Percy panted slightly, finishing his vent and turning to his can of Coca-Cola soon after. Maybe he could drown the words rising up in his throat if he drank enough of the fizzy drink. Words like _love_ and _commitment_ because he didn't even want to go there _at all._

Thalia was sympathetic for once. Well, she _showed it_ for once; she was often more sympathetic than she let on. "Perce," she shook her head at him slowly and his gaze dropped to his empty plate. He stood up, throwing away his trash, as well as Nico's who was long done (he had a small appetite usually.) Percy's heart felt like it was shattering.

Why didn't he just listen to Thalia and Nico? Sure, he had kept their advice close in his mind... while still kissing her like there were no consequences. He should know better; there are consequences to _everything._ Percy found it hard to breathe as he stared at the closed trash can in front of him. He felt like he was choking up, and he couldn't see anymore, couldn't think, couldn't even breathe. It felt like the end of life. Why, oh why hadn't he simply just listened in the first place? His heart felt cold as he stood there, growing chillier by the moment. He wouldn't let her work her way back into his heart, not anymore. He'd only talk to her if needed, or if expected like at events. When had Thalia and Nico ever lead him wrong? Never, that's when. Never.

Percy felt like he was a fish out of water, gasping for air. "Oh, Percy," he barely heard Thalia's soft voice through the thick buzzing in his ears. She wrapped her arms around him, her small, warm frame so comforting in his arms. Percy tucked his head over her left shoulder, feeling air come back to him as Thalia hugged him- something she rarely did. The three of them weren't rather touchy, especially not Nico, but in moments like these, all regular behavior and sassy remarks flew out the window. "It's going to be okay, Perce," Thalia whispered in his ear and it felt like a promise, it felt so good. He wrapped his arms tighter around the smaller girl, squeezing his eyes shut and just breathing in the familiar fresh, sky scent of Thalia. A second later, he felt a small squeeze on his shoulder from Nico as he handed Percy the rest of his coke can with a half smile- something Nico didn't do much either.

Percy didn't cry, he really didn't. But he loved his friends, he really did. He hoped they knew, and glancing between both of their faces, he knew they knew. Percy exhaled and it felt like the freshest air he'd breathed in a long, _long_ time.

* * *

 **A/N: So that's it for this chapter. What'd you guys think of the first encounter between Caleo? Or Percy and his friends? I'll see you all in two weeks. Hope you all have a good-ish rest of the day; bye, guys! :)**


	22. Green-Eyed Monster

**A/N: Hey, guys. This chapter officially introduces our (well, MY) favorite PJO redhead: Rachel Elizabeth Dare! *awkward jazz hands* Lol, hope you like the chapter!**

 **(Also, I am _so_ sorry I didn't post this yesterday like I was supposed to. I was caught up in doing some work and I forgot. And then today's my sister's birthday so I didn't realize until later, until it was noon. I'm not trying to excuse myself, of course. I'm sorry, it was completely my mistake and for that I apologize! I hope you still like the chapter anyways.)**

 **Diclaimer: All rights remain.**

 _I never expected it._

 _I didn't expect him to rise from his seat above the table and card his fingers messily through his salt and pepper hair, staring down at my mother with those eyes. He was so... cold with his icy blue orbs. And then to peer into her eyes, cloudy yet timeless, stray blonde hairs falling near her chin, and see her take a step back in realization as she apologized profusely._

 _Horrifying._

 _I watched as my mother brought a cup of coffee into the room only moments earlier. Her smile was bright and her face lit up when she saw him, but of course his head was buried in his work. Signing contracts, keeping his eyes peeled for new artists. He works so much, my father. I wonder if he forgets we exist sometimes. He's gone for so long, for such long periods of time. It breaks my mother's heart, and sometimes she seems like she's losing her mind a little. I suspect she truly is._

 _It scares me; I really don't know else to put it. It scares me when she paces the entire night, delusional, thinking she just spoke to my father. It scares me when she shakes me something fierce, as if I will become him. It scares me when she looks at me like I'm a ghost, like I'm already gone and have no path of return._

 _She set the coffee cup down, reaching forward to hold him, but with one swift motion, the brown liquid splashes everywhere, spotting my father's precious papers. I backed up in anticipation, knowing he would not take her mistake lightly. But my mother, she hadn't meant to make such a fatal problem. She had just tried to take of him, to please him with steaming hot coffee, just the way he liked it, with a shot of rum in it and everything. She thought she knew him so well, but when he was gone for nights on end, her heart broke every time. How did she not realize that he was simply like that? That it was in my father's nature to abandon us?_

 _When the coffee mug tipped over, the contents staining every piece of paper, my father stood up. His height, the fact that he towered us both made me uneasy._

 _When will she realize that he is not the man she wishes he was? I never want to be like him, but I think my mother fears it is inevitable. Maybe that is why she looks at me like I am a dead person._

 _His words twisted, emotionally manipulating her heart. I have always known he isn't the most morally sound man, but for me to watch this was a spike in my little heart. He would leave for days on end, but he was a good man. Or so I'd thought._

 _I watched him speak carefully, like a snake. When she broke down in sobs, her chest heaving as she apologized profusely, I felt a spark of anger in me. I wish he'd stop guilt-tripping her. She is the best thing in his life, and he should know. My fists clenched as if on their own by my sides, but I back away. I am not brave enough to speak up, and to be her knight in shining armor. I am not strong enough, or courageous enough, or good enough._

 _Never enough._

* * *

Annabeth breathed in the smell of smoke machines, too much alcohol, and sweat. To her, this was all she'd ever known: loud music, people in fancy dresses and suits waving their glasses through the air carelessly, and dreaded small talk. It seemed as if everyday she was stuck in the same tedious loophole. Wake up, brush her teeth, shower, wrestle her stubborn curls into a clean bun, grab some coffee and maybe down a pastry if she was feeling rather spontaneous (sad that _that_ was considered spontaneous to her). Then slip on her heels hastily, those hellish torture devices, and make her way way through terrible February New York snow.

Go to work, sit in front of desk and laptop for what seemed like endless hours, and at least once every month, attend one of those wretched events full of fake people. Sometimes Annabeth contemplated if any of them even had a real personality anymore; they were so fake _all the time_ , she wouldn't be surprised if their personality had washed away and vanished over time. Time never took a toll on their faces, with permanently glued-on smiles that showed off their straight, perfectly pearly whites.

Still, she had the same routine. Weave through the bunches of people, try not to choke on the excessive cologne and perfume wafting off their bodies, and try to remain cordial with everyone she bumped into, no matter what circumstances. She could not falter, her image could not fall. She represented Athena and Annabeth _refused_ to let her mother down. Annabeth was always one to please, she had known no other life or purpose.

Now, she resisted the urge to hike up her obnoxious dress that Piper had insisted she wear. The blonde's lovable brunette friend had been acting a little strange no doubt, the abnormal vibe did not go unnoticed by Annabeth, but when questioned about it, Piper had bit her lip and shook her had, no. No, nothing is wrong, nothing is ever wrong. Annabeth can't help but think that nothing is ever wrong until it's too late. Still, she had relented, allowing her practically-sister to fuss about her appearance as she liked. She knew Athena was always pleased with what Piper picked out, which was of course, a major plus.

Piper had incredible taste and an eye for highlighting natural beauty, even Annabeth could not deny such a fact, but that didn't stop Annabeth from huffing in frustration as she attempted not to trip over her heels. Much to her relief, Piper had chosen to put Annabeth in another neutral, toned-down color so it would be easier to blend in. Annabeth did not enjoy the center of attention, not like that. _"If you're being forced to go, might as well look fabulous,"_ Piper had said. Annabeth was quite sure that was her motto for life.

Annabeth had pointed to a classic black dress, and though it was pretty even Piper could admit, her friend had told she should not look like she was attending a funeral. Finally, Piper had put her in a cream-colored evening dress and had opted for a less traditional evening gown. One that puffed out a bit from the waist down, instead hugging to her body shape like most did. It was sleeveless and had a collar that dipped down like her work blazers. The satin waistband and flowery textured hem, as well as the whole high-low idea were the cherries on top. Piper had accentuated her particularly more prominent features, such as her well-known grey eyes.

The blonde found it difficult to duck through so many people in a bigger dress, and so she kept getting stopped by so many other music icons, those who worked in the businesses, those who owned the businesses, and those who performed for them. Annabeth's eyes darted to a familiar image: the back of a certain green-eyed boy.

She pursed her lips, hating the feeling of helplessness. She was not a damsel in distress, but there was no way to politely exit the conversation between her and some other company hotshot. He wasn't looking at her, but she didn't him to save her. No no, not _save._ She didn't need saving, she wanted help, that's all. She wanted him to come over, extract her from this situation, pretend like Annabeth had somewhere else she desperately needed to be.

She prayed to _all_ the gods, for fuck's sake, and when he finally turned around, she let out a breath of relief. His eyes caught on her, wandering from toe to the top of her curls, and finally settling on her orbs in the end like they always did. It was never in a hungry way, not one that made her uncomfortable like those old men who guffawed and catcalled women who walked past with their heads held high. It was never like he was analyzing her disrespectfully, but more so like he was taking in her full presence like one eats a gourmet burger; taking a perfect bite with the spot-on ratio of the sauce, meat, vegetables, and bread. It was like he was acknowledging her powerful aura and accepting that she is a challenge, as always. It made her feel warm all over, it always did. Annabeth felt her face grow hot.

Percy cocked an eyebrow at her, silently asking what's up. But she didn't even need to answer because his eyes trailed to the man talking her ear off across from her. To anyone else in that room, they would think him still indifferent to the situation. But she knew that look. That minuscule shift in his facial features that revealed so much more of what was going on in that big brain of his.

Right on cue, Percy strode over to Annabeth. "Excuse me sir, but may I steal Miss Chase from you for the time being?" The smile pasted on his face, fake as the others, unnerved Annabeth. She knew he was just trying to fake being polite, but it felt wrong somehow, to see such a false depiction of his feelings plastered all over his familiar face. "As you know, she's rather important and there's someone she needs to meet," Percy smiled at him and Annabeth felt her heart sink, all hollow in her chest. The man apologized profusely for taking over Annabeth's time, and Percy replied just as politely, insisting no apologies were necessary. He then lifted his hand to her shoulder to whisk her off into the chaos of the event, but let his hand drop to his side. "C'mon," was all he said, the smile dropping from his face. Though relieved to see him appear normal again, the hand thing was a bit odd. Usually, he wouldn't hesitate to weave her through a crowd, leading her with his palm on the small of her back. But not now.

Percy made his way through the swarms of people, his back to her, occasionally glancing back at her to make sure she was following. Though struggling to make her way past those standing inconveniently in her path, she followed carefully. She wanted to ask where he was taking her, but decided it against it.

Finally, the dark-haired young man stopped in between a few groups of conversing people. She could not comprehend why he would take her to another crowd, yet again. She looked up to ask, but a small smile peeked out of Percy's hard shell, and she paused, her eyes darting to where he was looking.

A pang of jealously coursed through Annabeth's veins as she stared in awe at the red-headed beauty. Perfectly imperfect long, red ringlets cascaded down the young woman's back like a waterfall of fire. Freckles dotted her pale, porcelain skin and a few were daintily dotted across the bridge of her nose. Playful gold eyeshadow contrasted her emerald green eyes and only added to her outgoing, friendly demeanor. Her dress was a waterfall alongside her locks of pretty hair. A strapless, wild blue and white patterned high-low dress showed off an obvious artsy vibe.

The girl was surrounded by men and woman alike, and some of the press that often interrogated Annabeth and her mother as well as Zeus and others, circled around her, snapping pictures hastily. Annabeth had never seen her before in her entire life, so she figured she didn't know her, yet she looked oddly familiar...

The young woman waved away the photographers, meeting the gaze of Percy Jackson. Percy smiled easily back at her, and Annabeth felt slightly sick, much to her dismay. She didn't think she'd ever seen Percy look so relaxed. Who was this girl?

Percy placed his hand carefully against the familiar female's right shoulder and the blonde thought back to how Percy's hand had dropped from her before making contact. Annabeth swallowed down the immediate jealously. She had no right to feel jealous, Annabeth wasn't his girlfriend or anything. That would just be stupid.

"Annabeth, I'd like you to meet a good friend of mine. This is Rachel Dare," Percy gestured to the red-headed fiery girl next to him. Rachel smiled kindly at Annabeth and she couldn't help but think that Rachel had a very pretty smile, which somehow made Annabeth resent her a little more. She tried to snap herself out of it. She wasn't a jealous person, she wasn't one to resent someone over something as trivial as this. Besides, Annabeth was more caught up on how familiar the name sounded... "Rachel, this is Annabeth Chase," Percy said her name so wonderfully, like it was a cloud he was encasing in his hands carefully.

"Oh yes, one of the best managers at Stone Records, pleasure to meet your acquaintance, Annabeth. You look gorgeous," Rachel said politely as she complimented her, extending her hand for a handshake. Annabeth blinked. Usually everyone referred to her as the daughter of Athena Stone. The knot in her stomach loosened slightly as Annabeth reconsidered the girl in front of her. Perhaps Rachel wasn't so bad after all, perhaps Annabeth just felt self-conscious to be in the presence of someone as gorgeous as Rachel Dare. Wait. _Rachel Dare._

"Rachel Elizabeth Dare," Annabeth murmured softly in realization as it dawned on her.

"You can just call me Rachel, Annabeth," she said smiling genuinely.

"You- You are the heir of Dare Enterprises," Annabeth said in shock. Annabeth may have had serious leverage in the music business, but Rachel had leverage had business in nearly everything. Her father was quite the businessman, and Rachel was known as the daughter who turned down a multi-million industry.

Rachel shrugged, indifferent. "I prefer not to be associated with Dare Enterprises," was all she said gently, and Annabeth just nodded slightly in awe as she took Rachel's hand. Rachel had the handshake of a businesswoman, alright.

"How come you've joined us here tonight?" Annabeth inquired, curious as to why a big-shot like Rachel would attend an event like one of the music industry's.

Rachel grinned then, such an enthusiastic smile that Annabeth couldn't help but smile a little herself. "There's an art show happening later this month," she explained, still grinning like the Cheshire Cat. Her happiness was contagious; even Percy was smiling to himself, content, as she spoke. "And we need some good entertainment. So I decided to show up, take the paparazzi by surprise," she chuckled, "and speak to a few big names in your business."

Annabeth's eyes lit up. Percy watched as Annabeth began to passionately converse with Rachel, smiling at how they'd seemingly hit it off immediately. At first he'd been worried. He'd seen the look on Annabeth's face and he was afraid Annabeth had bad blood with Rachel, or something along those lines.

"Wait," Annabeth interrupted Percy's train of thought. "You knew Rachel Dare?" Annabeth turned to face him in surprise. Rachel's pieces of art sold for so much, and even if her father had plenty of dough, Rachel was doing rather successfully as well.

"Um...," Percy sheepishly rubbed the back of his neck. "Though I haven't known her as long as Thalia or Nico, she went to my high school," Percy explained awkwardly. Rachel laughed at how nervous he looked.

"You didn't go a private high school?" Annabeth questioned, surprised once more. She knew Rachel didn't like her father's fame and had made her own, but she was still caught off guard by the comment.

"Nope. Screw uniforms," Rachel said cheerily. Annabeth decided she liked her right then and there.

"And yep, I've known Perce since before all the fame and glory, back when he was a loser," Rachel's eyes glittered as she threw an arm around Percy easily. Annabeth kept herself from eyeing the ginger's arm and from asking if they used to be a thing. _Because it didn't matter, obviously._ "Sorry. He's still a loser," she teased, causing Percy to roll his eyes. The smile on his face gave it away though. "Anyways," Rachel began, "I better go and mingle now," she shot Percy an apologetic sideways glance. "I don't want the paparazzi to attack you both more than they already do," she gave Percy a small hug. "Nice meeting you, Annabeth, and I hope to see you around," she said, sincerely. "See you at Le Cirque for dinner next week, Perce?"

Percy nodded obediently as Rachel flashed him one last smile before flouncing away and vanishing into flashing lights once more. "You have dinner with her?" the blonde questioned.

Percy nodded once more. "She's my friend," he shrugged, giving Annabeth a knowing look. Annabeth ignored the look because no, she wasn't jealous. Rachel was amazing based off that short conversation alone. And Annabeth liked her very much. And she knew too, just based off their body language, that Rachel and Percy certainly weren't together or anything. They might have been, back in the day, but not now.

Still. That didn't mean Annabeth wasn't slightly jealous. There may have been no romantic stuff in Percy and Rachel's relationship, but their relationship was easy.

Annabeth could only wish her situation with Percy was the same.

* * *

When Percy didn't show up for work, Annabeth would be lying if she said her heart didn't skip a beat a _little._ It's not like she cared of anything, no no, she couldn't afford to go there _at all_ ; but as his mini-boss, she definitely felt obligated to worry a bit. (And okay, maybe she cared a tiny bit. But only a tiny bit!) And when Annabeth received his vague-ass text, she couldn't help but be a tad more concerned.

(4:13am) **Won't be coming in today. Sorry.**

What did that even mean?! Why wasn't he coming in? Was he sick, fuck, his voice would be a bit fucked up if he was coming down with something. That would definitely inconvenience him. She didn't really know what to think when he left her in the dark like that, he never did this. It just wasn't the Percy Jackson she knew deep down. She chewed her bottom lip, worrying for him more than she'd ever admit.

What was she supposed to do? Just leave him alone? Probably. But Annabeth was never one to just follow directions blindly. If he was skipping out on work today and didn't even have the decency to explain why, she was sure as hell going to confront him about it. Ignoring the rational nagging in the back of her mind, Annabeth scooped up her beige purse, slipping her shiny silver phone into the back, and throwing her puffy jacket on hastily.

Annabeth ignored her faux fur-lined hood and let the cold air make her cheeks rosy, matching the shade of her lips. Oh, how she loathed the cold. She stomped her boots against the pavement in frustration, muttering a few choice words for Jackson under her breath, murmuring about how she was freezing her ass off for him, and how irresponsible it was of him to simply not show up without offering any sort of explanation. Did she disguise her emotions by redirecting them into violent remarks? Sure, you could say that.

She rubbed her gloves together, hoping the friction would provide some sort of warmth. The blonde hadn't even stopped to change into snow boots from her work heels, and she was regretting that action very much now. She cautiously stepped around slushy grey snow, avoiding as much water as possible.

Annabeth walked briskly to her car, trying not to kiss the ground from slipping on the tricky ice. She practically shoved herself into her grey Honda Civic, shuddering as the cool air left her body, the ice forming in her veins melting. She shivered, setting down her purse in the passenger seat and starting the car up, hoping for comforting warm air to blow onto her face. Annabeth waited for her hands to warm up and quit being stiff useless things, then pulled out of her parking space slowly, and made her way to Percy's apartment. Sure, she'd never been there and she didn't exactly want to intrude, but she had this irrational need to know if he was okay. Sue her for caring! The curly-haired young woman turned carefully around the curb, his address recorded in the company books inputted into Google Maps.

She sucked in a slightly distracted breath, and turned another corner after about thirty-five minutes. Annabeth found a spot in the middle of the parking lot and stopped, blending in with numerous other vehicles. She stared up at the old brick apartment complex, unsure.

She half-regretted being there now, wondering what the fuck she was doing there. So what if he was sick? Then what? She didn't want to awkwardly barge in to a sneezing, coughing, and probably _very_ confused Perseus Jackson. And fuck. He lived with his step-father, she remembered. That bastard. What if he was home, what if Percy got in trouble of her?

Annabeth's blood ran cold and her face paled at the thought. The sound of a particularly shrill honk, the kind that you could only find in cities like New York City jarred Annabeth back to reality. She jerked forward, forcing herself to move. She picked up her purse in between her cold, slightly trembling fingers and tilted her chin up; she looked overconfident, as she always did, but it made her feel normal to feel higher than the rest of the world. It made her feel brave; it made her feel like someone she wasn't.

Forcing herself forward, Annabeth made her way to the front of the building and stared at the buttons that she would need to buzz. Now what? She knew what number he was, sure, but that didn't mean she wanted to press it! He wasn't expecting her, and she was much too nervous to do so. Maybe she shouldn't be there, maybe she should go back to work and pretend this never happened. Maybe return to work with coffee so Athena wouldn't question it and just blame it on the notorious city traffic, if interrogated about her long disappearance.

Thankfully, Annabeth was saved from doing anything when some resident made their way out of the building. The man barely gave Annabeth a second glance and before she could lose her nerve, she quietly slipped into the building.

Once inside, Annabeth was immediately greeted with the overpowering smell of lingering cigarette smoke. She swallowed thickly as she scanned the peeling-paint walls, the dirty handrails, and the rusty elevator. She'd never dreaded being somewhere more in her entire life. Sure, she knew Percy had a rough life, but she wasn't sure she was prepared to see the extent of it. Walking over to the elevator and holding her breath a little, Annabeth pressed the up arrow button, allowing the dim yellow light to turn on. After what seemed like forever, the elevator slid open with a smooth _swoosh_ , and she carefully walked in. Careful not to touch any of the walls, Annabeth hesitantly pressed the level 4 button, suddenly doubting herself and abilities. What the actual fuck was she doing?

As the elevator rose levels, Annabeth could feel her stomach dropping, staying behind on the ground floor. When the doors finally opened and she paused before walking out, her entire stomach felt like there was a hollow pit in it. Shifting the weight of herself onto her left foot, she stalled, walking slowly to his door. The door was the same as them all; a dark tan color, just another eyesore in that long hallway. To Annabeth, being alone in that hallway, unsure of herself, the shadows seemed longer, the lights seemed dimmer, the door across from Percy's terrified her more. Inhaling sharply, she raised her fist to the old wood and knocked before she could stop herself.

Immediately she regretted it, panicking internally and considering darting down out of earshot and out of eyesight. but before she could make up her mind and take action, he opened the door.

Instantly, a wave of sheer relief washed over Annabeth when she locked eyes with his familiar sea green hue and not Gabe, or anyone else for that matter. Somehow just standing in front of him made her feel more vulnerable, yet it relaxed the knot in her abdomen even if only by a little bit. But when she scanned his face, the knot was back and tighter than ever.

She didn't even hear his name fall from her lips, but the way he moved his jaw when she spoke let her know she'd actually said something, not just imagined it. When he spoke up, his usually husky voice was replaced, poisoned with pain. Her body felt cold when he spoke.

"Annabeth. What are you doing here?" He sounded tired, fucking _exhausted_ with everything as he ran his finger through his dark hair. He had dark bags under his eyes, ruining his beautiful image with sorrow and everything that had drained him of life.

"Percy?" her voice sounded small the second time she said his name, even to herself. It came out like a question, which she hadn't intended. "Wh-wh," she couldn't even talk now.

"Look, Chase," he began. "If you're here to ask why I'm not at work let's just say, long story short, I had a rough night, okay? I'll be back tomorrow, promise," Percy admitted quickly. A little _too_ quickly. Annabeth narrowed her steel grey eyes at him, scrutinizing the hard lines on his tired face.

"Percy. What the fuck actually happened?" she berated, pursing her pink lips in disbelief. He flinched when she cursed and hell if she didn't take note of that.

"Let it go, please," he said softly and he sounded so broken right then that she just wanted to wrap her arms around him and never let go.

"No," the blonde replied stubbornly, crossing her arms over her chest.

He squeezed his eyes shut for a moment, wincing slightly. "Please, Annabeth, _please_ just go back to work. You love work," Percy tried to reason with her, reopening his eyes, not bothering to match her intense gaze. "Go back. I'll be there tomorrow. I promised, didn't I?" He sighed like a tired father would after dealing with children throwing tantrums all day. Annabeth couldn't help but think that he was too young to be sounding like that already.

"Why can't you just tell me what's wrong?" she asked then, surprising even herself with how gentle her voice was. Percy stared blankly at her, not caving for her sweet tone.

"Go away, Chase," he moved to close the door, groaning a bit in pain once more, but she stuck her foot out quickly, stopping him from shutting her out.

"Percy," she demanded a bit angrily, "we've been over this. I can't help you if you don't let me know what's wrong; I'm not a mind reader. I want to help you," she said, genuinely. "But I need you to cooperate," Annabeth finished, folding her hands in front of her carefully.

"It's not a big deal," he said after a moment.

"It clearly is," Annabeth interrupted before he could say anything else to defend himself. "You love music, you would never skip work. Now tell me what happened. _Please."_

" _Annabeth_ ," he said exasperatedly, like one would to a young child. Annabeth glared at his tone and he sighed. "Please."

"No, Percy!" she hissed. "No, no. Stop shutting me out. Stop it! It's my job to make sure you're okay... I needed to check that..." Annabeth cut herself off, letting her gaze drop once she realized what she sounded like. She's not his girlfriend, she knows that. She can't talk like this, she can't speak to him about how worried she is. It simply isn't her place.

And then he looked at her, _really_ looked at her. And Annabeth swore she felt her heart stop. So much anguish in just one look, so much pain, so much hurt. She choked with realization at what he was trying to hint at, without explicitly stating it.

"No," she didn't want to believe it.

"Like I said," he sighed. "Go back to work and stop worrying over what you can never fix," Percy amended.

" _No_ ," Annabeth murmured, resisting the urge to reach for him. "I'm not leaving you." His eyes shot back up to her, slightly bloodshot. He was probably afraid to sleep, she realized. Her heart crumbled in her chest at the thought.

"Annabeth-"

"No, Percy! No! I'm not leaving you," she insisted, not caring about how she sounded. She refused to leave his side, she wouldn't dare.

"You're a busy girl-"

"Shut _up_ , Perseus," she demanded, using his real name. Percy froze with his objections, resisting the urge to flinch back once more. "Can you not see how tired you are?" her voice cracked and she hated herself for letting her weakness seep through. "Can you not just accept my help? Can you not just let me care for once?" her voice was quiet, but hard and stubborn. They were both so stubborn, so rigid. He swallowed hard and he nodded, his resolve seemingly about to crumble and she could sense it.

Percy kept his head down and widened the opening of the door, allowing her in. Annabeth stepped into his apartment and nearly flinched herself. She couldn't help herself from allowing her eyes to wander, her curiosity getting the best of her. She examined the peeling walls, the broken beer bottles, the strong smell of booze, the bloodstains on the carpet, the piled up trash, the overflowing dirty dishes. It was a red flag for a poor lifestyle. Annabeth said nothing about it, not wanting to embarrass him. Percy looked down in shame.

"Stop it," she said. "I just want to help," Annabeth pleaded, gently and slowly placing her small hand on his shoulder. He nodded a bit cautiously. "Now. Take a seat and let me see."

"Of course you're the type of person to invite someone to sit down in their own house," Percy joked weakly. His smile waned though, after a few seconds and her heart squeezed and swelled painfully.

"Hush," she said, offering him the tiniest of smiles, trying to hide the pain she felt _for_ him. Percy sat down. "Take your shirt off," Annabeth requested.

"You know, if you really wanted to get some, there's better ways of going about it," Percy added helpfully and she barely managed to restrict herself from smacking him. And besides, she knew that was his way of coping. But that didn't stop a light pink from dusting her cheeks.

"Just shut up and take it off," she grumbled, thankful he was facing away from her and he couldn't see her blush. Percy chuckled humorlessly and tugged his t shirt off and over his head. Annabeth froze right where she was when she saw his skin.

An unexpected sob rose in her chest.

"Oh my _god_."

 **A/N:** **So I was talking to a fanfic friend of mine the other day, and we were discussing how complex characters ideally _should_ be. His philosophy was rather similar to mine. I believe that no character is inherently good nor evil in any well-written story, because everyone has motives. And even if their motive/reason appears disgusting and crazy to us, it's always going to be logical in their minds. At the beginning of the next few chapters, there will be a flashback of this same character for a little while, until it all gets explained. You'll probably be able to piece together who this character is over time. I would just like to show both sides of this character through a series of flashbacks. Feel free to let me know what you thought of this first flashback. :)**

 **REFERENCES: As usual, I had to Google dresses lol, because I don't understand fashion. If you're curious, Google this for Annabeth: 2016 Fall Short Evening Dresses A Line V Neck Ankle Length. It should be the first result with a brunette model wearing a bun. It should also probably have DHgate written on the image somewhere. And Google this for Rachel:** **2017 New Arrival Strapless Blue Floral Printed Evening Dress. It should also be the first result and it's not on a person, but on a gold-colored stem with a mannequin torso. It's also in front of a white-framed mirror.**

 **Anyways, leave me a review if you want :) Until two weeks, bye guys!**


	23. Battle Scars

**A/N: Hi peeps. :) The reviews last chapter were sooo sweet (not that they aren't always haha). Honestly, I had such a hard time writing this chapter, but your reviews were very encouraging. This is definitely far from my best chapter but I tried, despite struggling immensely with writing lately. Hope you like it~ But I'm sorry if it wasn't as good as usual.**

 **Disclaimer: All rights remain. Also, there are a few lines in this chapter based off a few line from The Mortal Instruments. I thought they suited this situation so I just also wanted to give credit to the lovely Cassandra Clare. :)**

 _She's too afraid._

 _My mother is too afraid to leave him, even when he makes her cry, even when she feels the need to apologize for everything._

 _Yet she keeps a suitcase. She keeps a suitcase far back in the guest bedroom closet, filled with only the essentials. A few clothes, a spare toothbrush, some money, some food. She wants to leave, I know, I_ know _deep down that she wants to leave. He twists his words, having her apologize without telling her to. Having her apologize for her existence. But sometimes, sometimes he is so kind, like a real dad, and it hurts. It hurts to know he will not always be like that. I can't decide who is the real personality. So I decide not to trust either._

 _One day my mother shook me. She shook me hard, her fingers digging into my shoulders. "Promise me," she gasped, a wild, kind of crazed look in her eyes. She looks like she's gone mad._

 _"Promise me you won't be like him," she pleaded._

 _My shoulders are starting to hurt._

 _"Promise me you won't ever turn into him, with his cruel words and nasty manipulative smile," her voice was thick, and harsh, sharp like broken glass. I nodded hastily, hoping she would let go. "You will be better than him," she demanded, her blue eyes no longer quite as blue as they usually were._

 _My shoulders still do not hurt as much as her gaze does._

 _She shook me again and a jolt of pain spiked up my right arm. The fear beating in my heart is unbearable as she stared at me accusingly. "Stop," I begged._

 _"Do not become him. Promise me! Promise me!" she shouted, paralyzing me._

 _"Let go of me," I gasped, unable to feel my arms anymore. She is cutting off all the blood circulation with her craziness. Why cannot she let go? Why cannot she just let go of me, let go of him, and leave? Take me with her, I would try my best to keep her safe, we could leave together. She ignored me, but not like she meant to. Almost as if she couldn't even hear me. My blood ran cold as I averted my gaze from her lunatic orbs. The sheer terror freezing my blood threatened to choke me. "He never raised a hand to you, right?" I breathed out airily. Her eyes didn't move from mine, her look melting me where I stood._

 _"No," she assured me, but her voice was cold still. "But you must not do that either! You must never become him, you can't, you can't..." her eyes glassed over and I squirmed in her hands. It used to be just him who I feared, but as I pried her hands off me, I realized the truth._

 _She was just as insane as him. Of course she was, of course I could trust no one. And I realized something else too, remembering, caught up in the way she looked when she said 'no,' when she promised he hadn't laid a finger on her._

 _Not every scar is physical._

* * *

There was so much red, some still shiny and wet, slippery.

His back was lined in ugly scars, not a hint of his regular tan skin peeking through the ragged wounds. Dried dark blood clung to his now pale complexion, contrasting to his torn, broken skin. Blood lined each and every jagged cut, painting his body with an angry color to match the angry welts. He must have tried to clean it up because none had soaked through his shirt, not yet, but it was still wet in some places, and painful... so painful. His shirt must have been only irritating his wounds though, because the skin around the wounds were raw red and angry. Some cuts were cleaner than others, meaning it had been a knife.

Annabeth didn't know whether to break down in sobs or scream and throw something against a wall. She did none of this, instead choosing to stand there and stare at his marred skin in horror. It felt like her heart had dropped in her chest. Annabeth felt like retching. She felt cold and numb inside. Her eyes felt prickly and smarted with tears. Her delicate tan hands moved up on their own accord, covering her slightly ajar mouth. Her muscles were taut as her grey eyes gazed over his swollen, tender, bumpy back.

Percy felt constant piercing, throbbing pressure on his back. It had been worse in the moment, but the pain still haunted him, lingering like a ghost he could never rid of himself. It had been agonizing, excruciating. Percy squeezed his eyes shut, hearing her inhale a sharp breath of air. Why must someone as beautiful her see something so ugly? Percy quivered slightly, sitting back on his heels, his head hung low in shame.

It was unbearable to remember the look in Gabe's eyes. It's not like he'd never seen that look before, but it was exhausting to think about. This was all so exhausting.

"Why don't you fight back?" Annabeth's heart-shattering voice cut through his thoughts.

Percy slowly opened his eyes, fixating his shiny sea green orbs on her.

" _Why don't you fight back?"_ she choked out again, muffled by her hands. She was going to cry, he could tell.

 _I'm not your son, he'd said so long ago. I'm not your son, I'm not your son._

"Perseus!" Annabeth was crying now. "Give me just _one_ reason."

 _He'd had a nice black beard, kind sea green eyes. But then he'd left, leaving this pathetic loser to sweep up Percy's mom, left Gabe to think he was worth something to someone as incredible as Sally Jackson._

"Percy, please," she begged. "Say something, please, _please._ "

 _Why bother fighting back? It doesn't even matter anymore. It will never matter. He cannot fight him, he gives him a place to stay. It's not a luxury, but he can't fight him. Percy can't Annabeth, please._

"I-I'm sorry," he said finally, as tears streamed down her face. Percy looked down at the ground as if it were more interesting than anything else in the world.

"It's not your fault," she sniffled. "Don't you dare apologize for his cruelty. Don't you dare, Percy Jackson." Percy didn't even bother to nod, he just stared, picking at the carpet in a stony silence. "Stay right there," Annabeth told him. "Do you have a first aid kit?" When he shut his eyes again, not answering, Annabeth forced herself to move to the bathroom. It must be in the bathroom. Annabeth returned to his black, blue, and red back, having cleaned up her tears and clutching a dirty white first aid kit.

"Hold still," she murmured half-heartedly as Percy slumped tiredly against the couch. He didn't even nod. Annabeth swallowed and gently pressed a wet cloth over his wounds, watching for his reaction. Percy didn't move, as usual, he was accustomed to far much worse pain. Annabeth grit her teeth, fighting more tears. She would be horribly mortified if he watched her break down like a baby again. She tended to his injuries as carefully as possible, unable to bear the thought of hurting him more. Percy seemed unaffected as he lay there, pale and looking like death. Annabeth would be lying if she said she didn't shed a few more tears as she worked methodically, cleaning and sterilizing his various cuts and bruises. She later stood up once more, padding softly to the kitchen before searching for ice to assist with reducing the swelling.

Carefully bandaging him up Annabeth shakily helped him onto the couch, helping him lay down on his stomach, and then placing the ice pack on him cautiously. "How are you feeling now?" She winced at her own words; how else would he feeling? Just peachy?

"Thank you," he murmured so quietly she almost didn't hear him. She ran her fingers through his black hair gently. Annabeth examined his tired face, taking note of the dark bags under his eyes.

"Percy, you should sleep," she advised. He looked at her like she was crazy.

"Annabeth- B-beth," he tried to talk quickly, but she gently shushed him, soothingly running her fingers through his hair.

"Chase, no," he groaned," you- you need to get out here," he said breathlessly. His eyes were wild, panicked.

"Percy, are you insane? Look at you. I'm not going anywhere," Annabeth said firmly, staring at him determinedly.

"Annabeth, _no,_ if he- if," he coughed slightly. Percy was so so weak, she could see it in his eyes. "If he comes back," Percy mumbled, exhausted. "He'll hurt you, he- he. I can't let him touch you," he murmured softly, blinking and trying to stay awake. _He was so, so tired._

"I'll kick his ass," Annabeth said with a tone of finality. "I'm not leaving you," she whispered, pleadingly. "I'm not. And you can't change my mind-"

" _Please,_ " he interrupted, frantic, worried.

"Percy, please!" she tried not to scream, but her voice definitely raised. "I'm not leaving you, so stop it already!" Tears leaked out of her eyes again. "Look at yourself! I can't keep watching this happen to you, I can't, I _can't_ , it's killing you. He's going to _kill_ you, Perseus," Annabeth choked on her words. "He's going to kill you," she said quieter. "I can't let this go on any longer. Please, _please_ stay with me. Let me help you get a hotel, if you want your own place. Let me help you until you can stand on your own two feet, without him, _that monster_ stealing your money. Let me help," she pleaded. "I can't leave you here like this, not again," she shook her head desperately and Percy could practically see something breaking inside of her.

Percy ignored the waves of pain crashing into him, and turned slightly to look at her. "Annabeth you need to leave," he whispered. "You need to." She shook her head, no, no god please no. " _Now._ He could- could be back at any moment." He inhaled a shaky breath. "I don't know if I'll be able to stop him if he- if he storms in here."

"I don't care. I'm not leaving without you," she said stubbornly.

Percy's heart throbbed in his chest. It didn't matter how he'd been avoiding her like Nico and Thalia had advised, he couldn't stop his emotions, and those only made it worse now. He could not watch her suffer for his life. "Annabeth Chase, I swear to god, out now," he said sternly. It killed him to say it, but he could not have her here when Gabe returned. Heaven even forbid he tried to lay a finger on her and Percy would murder him right where he stood.

She shook her head again, but Percy's expression of distress must have finally forced her to stand up. The blonde stood up, shouldering her purse. "Percy, please-"

"Thank you," he interrupted. "Thank you so much," he said, the pain till evident in his voice. He winced as he shifted his body once more. "But Annabeth, please-"

"I know," she said, her eyes still glassy. "I'm going. Call me, please, please, call me later. Check in with me. Call me if you need anything. I need to know that you're okay," Annabeth forced her pride down, shoving the words out of her mouth. " _Please."_ Percy nodded, but didn't make a promise, he couldn't.

"Take care of yourself," she said, sniffling and wiping away a few stray tears. And with that she left the door, her phone's ringtone turned up all the way for the rest of day, the sickening feeling still poisoning her soul.

But not once did he call.

Then he skipped work the next day too.

And still not a single call from a certain green-eyed boy.

* * *

All she saw was the back of his head and glimpses of his dark hair as he ducked past her, slipping just barely out her fingertips. It seemed as though he was avoiding her at all costs, and as soon as Annabeth caught on to his flighty behavior in both work and at events, she couldn't help but for the pit in her stomach grow. Percy had his own reasons for everything, and though he appreciated that she cared, Nico's and Thalia's words encouraged him to keep drifting further and further away. Determined to get to the bottom of whatever this was, Annabeth decided she would approach him about it. Had she done something to put him off?

"Jackson!" her voice rang out, Calypso trailing behind her as Annabeth closely followed Percy down the hallway. Percy's eyes darted down the narrow passageway and quickened his pace. "Jackson!" she called again, huffing under her breath. He was most _definitely_ ignoring her.

Percy stopped in his effort to escape the blonde, understanding that there was no outrunning her this time. He whirled on his feet to face her and her smaller friend. Percy tried to avoid looking at Callie; the last time they'd spoken had been sufficiently awkward and he didn't plan of conversing with her anytime soon. _"If you buy her the chocolates, I'm sure she wouldn't mind,"_ Calypso had said, a mischievous smirk adorning her sweet face, concluding their Valentine's Day discussion. Snapping out of his memories, he focused on the steel grey-eyed young woman in front of him.

Annabeth's lips were pursed, her eyebrows pinched down in a slight frown/stern look. The similarity to Athena's face was strange and Percy didn't like her looking like her angry brunette mother. "Hey," he said, testing his voice carefully.

"Hey?" Annabeth tilted her head at him, tapping her foot against the ground impatiently. Percy felt like he was back in grade school, about to get busted by a pissed off teacher. Nervously rubbing the back of his neck, Percy avoided her piercing stare.

"Um, yeah?" he cleared his throat. What was wrong with him? This wasn't grade school, Annabeth had nothing to bust his ass for. Still, he couldn't help but always feel a _little_ nervous in her presence. "Hey," he repeated, giving her a look of his own now. "It's how people typically casually greet each other," he told her, rolling his eyes out of habit. Annabeth glared at him, unfazed and crossed her arms over her chest.

"You're avoiding me," Annabeth told him straight to his face, not bothering to waste time with small talk. Calypso spun on her heels, taking that as her cue to leave, and wandered the hallways away from them, feigning interest in stupid mundane objects.

"I am not!" Percy defended himself as if on instinct. Annabeth's glare hardened and he sighed. "I'm not, I swear," Percy lied. It's not like he _wanted_ to lie, but what else was he supposed to do? Confess that he was terrified out of his mind because he thought he's falling in loving with her, or perhaps just the idea of her? Because god, he doesn't even really know her, but he _wants_ to, he wants to so bad. Admit that he wants to be the one to wake up next to her every morning, if only to see her unruly blonde curls and angelic face? Blurt out the fact that he really doesn't want to love her because his friends, they're so smart, and they've warned him to stay away? Because sure, he doesn't like to judge people based off their parents, but as Thalia said, everyone is in some small way part of their parents. Was he supposed to acknowledge that he had so many burdens to carry of his own and he wasn't sure he'd be able to handle all of her luggage too? What was he supposed to do, damnit? Hopelessly caught in his own feelings, the lie bubbled out of him so easily.

"You're lying," Annabeth accused, her mouth twisting down. "You heard me just now calling your name, but still your pace quickened, still you tried to avoid me," she paused, turning to look away from him. "What did I do to you, what did I do wrong?"

Percy's mouth felt dry. _No,_ he wanted to say, _no no you're the best thing to ever happen to me._ Or the worst, he couldn't decide. _You didn't do anything wrong, I just don't know how I feel, how you feel, I don't know what to do with myself, Annabeth. Please, you haven't done anything wrong. Your faith in me is the greatest thing in this world and I'm afraid for you to lose it. I don't know what I'd do if I lost you this easily._

But part of him also wants to push her away, to keep Annabeth safe from himself, from his daddy issues, from his messed-up life. Part of him wants to hurt her so bad, _so so_ bad, because he knows her and he knows that if she leaves she'll never come back. He wouldn't have to avoid her anymore, he wouldn't have to keep doing this awkward dance every time he came across her in all her five foot nine glory. He peered down at Annabeth, and realizing she'd asked him a question he opened his mouth to speak.

"I-" nothing coherent came out, much to his frustration. Percy's eyes fixated on her voluptuous carnation-colored lips, his body betraying him much against his will. Tearing his gaze away from her before he could do something he'd later regret, he mustered enough energy to murmur, "I'm _not_ lying," Percy promised. "Look I just-" he inhaled sharply, "I've got to go. Tell Calypso I'm sorry I couldn't talk to her." And with that, he pushed his way through nearby doors, albeit stumbling (which Annabeth had probably never seen such lack of grace from him), and left, the image of his retreating back the only thing left to haunt her mind.

Annabeth didn't buy it.

She didn't care how he brushed away her observations; he was most certainly ignoring her, and instead of feeling angry like she'd suspected she would, she was only left with a hollow, empty feeling inside her chest. Her heart squeezed painfully and she turned away from where he'd left, finding her way back to sweet and faithful Callie.

Finding the honey-haired young woman gazing at the abstract paintings on the walls, Annabeth approached one of her best friends. Calypso had been there in hopes of going out for some after-work dinner with her, but seeing the way Annabeth wore a crumpled expression on her face, she figured it wouldn't be as fun as they'd initially hoped. Piper was out having dinner at some fashion event that very evening, or she would have joined them as well. "I'm assuming it didn't go well?" Calypso asked gently, putting her hand on Annabeth's shoulder comfortingly as they left her workplace. Together they walked to the street, Callie hailing a cab for the both of them. Both young women climbed into the yellow with black checkered, eyesore of a vehicle. She rattled off the address of her, Piper's, and Annabeth's usual Thai restaurant, and turned to face Annabeth in the backseat of the car.

"I don't know what to do," Annabeth finally admitted, something that must have been incredibly difficult for her. Annabeth was constantly blinded by her pride, and to confess she didn't know something or to seek advice on her own accord, it was progress to say the least.

"Tell me what happened," Calypso offered sympathetically. And she listened as Annabeth explained the rest of their taxi ride, only pausing the blonde in pouring her heart out for them to order their food and sit under dim, red Tiffany lights, seated on green, booth seats. Then Annabeth continued her fears of having messed up, her worries about ruining... whatever weird type of relationship she had with Percy Jackson, and once she was done, they sat in a short silence, Calypso simply taking in all that Annabeth had told her.

Calypso finally looked at Annabeth with pity, not knowing how else to feel. Only Annabeth could be so oblivious, only Annabeth could be _so_ afraid of showing her feelings. Why couldn't they just profess their love to each other and live happily ever after? But Calypso knew this wasn't some shallow, stupid Disney movie; this was real life. And her best friend needed her. "Oh Beth, sweetie he's probably not avoiding you," Callie assured her to make her feel better. It was obvious Annabeth was feeling uneasy and hurt, no matter if she denied it or not.

But Annabeth wouldn't take that bullshit quite so easily. "No, Calypso, I really think he is," she insisted, only feeling worse. She picked at her food, which she normally reasonably enjoyed. She was just _so_ confused and so hurt, but she'd never admit it. Never, never, ever. She was strong, and she couldn't afford to be weak like that. Athena herself had taught her so. To show emotions was to be weak. And Annabeth Chase was most certainly _not_ a weak woman.

Calypso sighed finally, and looked her in the eye. "They say no one can hate you like someone who used to love you," she reminded her.

Annabeth scoffed. "That's just some stupid statement that some person made up, thinking it made them sound all philosophical and deep," she reasoned, shoving the comment away. "Besides, we never-" she hesitated, uncomfortable with saying the word. Even her own mother had never said that to her, nor had she reciprocated the sentiment to Athena. "We never l-lovedeach other," Annabeth finally choked out, looking down at her plate and forcing herself to shovel it into her mouth. "Love isn't even real, Callie; it's all science, you know that. I even proved it to you that one Valentine's Day, with research and everything," she met the almond gold eyes of Calypso.

Calypso couldn't help but roll her eyes. "Yes I know, Beth, but-"

"And anyways," Annabeth continued, not allowing Calypso to cut in, spouting quotes of love and soulmates. "My... _thing_ with Jackson is casual, even if love somehow, for some reason, _did_ exist. So no, we don't love each other," she finally concluded, forcing more food down her throat without tasting it. She didn't even have time to taste food these days, but right now it didn't matter. She just needed to prove, she had an itching burn to _show_ that she didn't love him. Because she didn't. She couldn't possibly, it simply wasn't like her. Annabeth swallowed, pushing away her self-doubts. She wasn't in love, she convinced herself as she attempted to convince Calypso. "We don't."

Sure, Calypso knew where Annabeth stood on the love spectrum a long time ago, they were best friends after all, but this time, she raised an eyebrow at the Californian looking girl sitting across from her. "Maybe that's the problem," she said slightly cryptically, and turned down to her food, quite enjoying good food any day. She tapped her nails against her glass, not meeting Annabeth's usually tough gaze.

Annabeth scowled at her then, claiming she didn't understand, so Calypso didn't say much else about her previous statement. "I wonder how Piper's doing," Callie said instead, springing to change the topic, even though she knew she was right.

Annabeth isn't stupid, she knew that Calypso was trying to avoid explaining her words, but she went along with it, delving into random topics and overall trying to salvage the evening, determined to have a good night out with her good friend. They had a great time, eating, chatting, and catching up on their confusing, usually chaotic lives. They talked about the stupidest things and allowed themselves to treat each other a little. But at the end of the day, even when all was said and done, when Annabeth returned to her apartment, she still couldn't get Calypso's words out of her head. Or even the way she'd looked at her, with pity and understanding that Annabeth couldn't follow.

 _"We don't love each other,"_ Annabeth had protested with forced confidence, hoping if she said it enough times it could be true.

 _"Maybe that's the problem."_

 **A/N: Hey, guys! I know it wasn't super good or anything, but like I said earlier, I had a lot of trouble with writing this chapter/writing lately in general, so I just tried my best and managed to get it done in time for my usual upload schedule. I hope you're all happy I didn't end in a cliffhanger this time again haha, though it was certainly fun to mess with you all a little two weeks ago. ;)**

 **Anyways, let me know what you liked and didn't like in the reviews! :D Reading them just absolutely make my day, and I love you all for it~ (Btw, just a heads up, on September 4th school's starting for me :( lol, and I might get a bit busy, so I'll still try to update every two weeks, but I apologize in advance if I miss a week sometimes. I'll try my best! :))**

 **See you all next chapter and I wish you all a decent rest of your day. :)**


	24. Fries Before Guys

**A/N: Hey, guys! :)**

 **I was trying to figure out approximately how many chapters this story has left. Since it's a slow burn and my chapters are not super, super long, it's obviously going to be a bit of a longer story. Just a heads up for you all, at the moment, factoring in the plotline I'm planning of running with, this story will probably span across around 40 chapters total.**

 **Anyways, hope you enjoy the chapter! :D**

 **Disclaimer: All rights remain. I'd also like to give credit to John Green. The internal monologue part with Annabeth was kind of inspired by this incredible novel I read by him a few weeks ago:** _ **Turtles All The Way Down.**_ **Very,** _ **very**_ **good book and I highly recommend it. :)**

 _My father was a workaholic. Someone I had promised to never become. Granted, I'd promised it with my mother staring into my soul like a madman, but I digress. A promise was a promise._

 _My mother was so occupied with worrying, lost in her own brain, speaking to the voices in her head to notice me properly. Though I had made no formal promise about her, I would never become her either._

 _The loneliness is unbearable. To see her eyes on me, her lips mouthing words she seems unable to utter. 'You're not my son, you're not my son, you're not.' And it hurts, it hurts like hell. Of course it does; how could it not? I am neglected, but I refuse to use that word when I describe my… relationship with my parents. I am not a kicked puppy, I'm fine on my own, I can fight the loneliness on my own, I'm fine. I don't need anybody's pity, I don't tell anyone. I am alone._

 _I turn to the internet, wasting my brain away with a bright screen to distract my wandering mind and empty soul._

 _The internet is a strange place._

 _I discover the joy that is gaming. There is something so satisfying as watching myself level up, watching myself take the place of a character, of someone who is not myself, not truly. There something so satisfying as being able to control almost everything. It calms me at first, but it soon changes me, little by little. Slowly turning me into the man I promised I'd never be._

 _The internet in general is very demeaning towards women, especially in the video games I used to play. It bothers me at first, but soon it just becomes something I accept. There is so much HATE online, it's overwhelming. But as much as it seems to make me tense, it's better than going back to real life where my mom is sobbing for no reason, taking the suitcase out and then putting it back in._

 _Over and over and over and over again._

 _It's better than running into him when he's home for once. It's better than my father pretending like he cares, asking me trivial questions about school. I'm afraid if I talk to him too long, I'll punch him in the face on day. He may have never laid a hand on her, but it's not okay at first. But as the days pass, me wasting my life away sitting in front of a screen illuminating my face, I care less and it becomes more okay. Why should I care what happens between my mother and him? She is no more my mother than he is my father._

 _The urge to punch him lessens by the minute, my subconscious slowly turning into him more than I ever realized. I develop an unhealthy view of people in general, women in general, relationships in general, life and general, and I don't even realize it._

 _The urge to punch him is completely gone after some time._

 _I sit in front of my computer again._

 _I hope to never become him, but I don't even realize I already am._

 _Hours pass, but my eyes stay glued to the screen._

* * *

The night sky over the sleeping of city of New York was like a blank, dark canvas, not a single star winking down at the citizens. There was something about the black void that simultaneously put Annabeth on edge and comforted her. It was beautifully dangerous, or dangerously beautiful- she could never decide. The way the street lights twinkled… as if tempting you to step out into the darkness, lulling you into a false sense of security, only to be consumed by your fears and swallowed by the night.

Annabeth sat up in her bed, tearing her gaze away from the view of the peaceful city outside her window and to her room. Standing up, she padded softly out of her room and into the bathroom, exhausted out of her mind. She flinched slightly as she clicked the light on, and squinting she stood in front of the mirror, peering at herself tiredly.

 _Great. 3am and I'm having a staring contest with myself like a lunatic._

Annabeth brushed a few frizzy, stray curls away from her face. She inspected herself, unable to get some shut-eye. The lilac purple shadows under her eyes stood out to her, as did the way her usually pretty blonde hair, stood up all over the place, only adding to her disheveled appearance. Her mouth turned down at the corners slightly on their own accord, her usually fierce stare looked dull and kind of sad. Her complexion felt faded, a bit more pale than usual. In other words, Annabeth felt and looked like hell itself.

For some reason, she felt tears prick behind her eyes, which she forced down. There was no reason to cry, she would not cry. She would not fall apart in front of that mirror, not there, not then, not without a reason. She wasn't weak and she refused to crumble to bits. _Maybe this is why he avoids you, maybe you're a drama queen._

Annabeth had been tossing and turning all night, pondering over a boy with raven hair and green eyes that haunted her sleep. She couldn't stop thinking about the way he'd tried to get around her the other day after approaching him about his weird behavior, about how she barely saw him anymore, about how he never came into her office anymore just to say hi, about how he sent her emails with files instead of hand-delivering them through a flash drive. Almost like he never wanted to see her, almost like he'd lied and he was avoiding her just as she'd suspected.

 _I hate myself._

It was a feeling, a thought the blonde had often. She hated how whenever she did see him now, he always seemed to look through her, as if she was Athena completely. She hated how she always felt like she needed to control the world, she hated that she always looked tired and lifeless, in no way pretty until she'd fiddled with her appearance for an hour in the morning. She hated that her eyes were close to blue, so close, but not perfect enough, only a piercing grey. She hated how slow her brain was sometimes, she hated that she pushed people away, she hated her need to correct everyone and anyone about everything. She hated the pouch of fat on the bottom of her abdomen, even though she knew every woman had it because of the organ underneath. She hated the way her face puffed up slightly, swollen from sleep deprivation. She hated how her hair frizzed up, she hated that she didn't always look sweet, she hated that everyone viewed her as some big powerful figure and not a person.

She hated that she didn't _feel_ like a person, that she always felt like a machine, running off diesel oil and adrenaline. She hated that she couldn't feel like a normal person, she hated how cold she'd become, she hated that she was afraid of becoming her mother, she hated being Athena's little bitch, she hated that she never felt like she could fit in anywhere, always a stranger, always alone no matter how many people smiled and stood by her. She hated that she could never be the best friend, she hated that she was destined to be a loner, she hated that she couldn't be as good to Piper and Calypso as they were to her. She hated that when she had Percy she still wasn't happy, and she hated that she'd lost him so easily. She hated how attached she'd gotten to him, because she should've _known_ nothing would change even if they had clicked and he hadn't chose to walk away from her crazy.

Annabeth could fill out pages, notebooks, double-sided of why she hated herself, but the truth still hung over her head like a dark cloud.

She hated herself.

 _Just shut and go to bed._

But she couldn't sleep, no matter what she did, no matter which hot tea she sipped on, her brain didn't have an off button it seemed. She felt like she couldn't' breathe, choking on her need to stop this all, stop whatever what was eating at her brain, stop whatever she was feeling, stop these soul-crushing realizations.

 _Why can't you just be normal?_ I AM normal. _Why can't you just shut up?_ I'm- I'm trying- _well you're not trying hard enough-_ but, but I- _did you even send that report to Athena, like you were supposed to?_ I.. I think so. _You THINK so?_ I'm sure I did, I wouldn't have forgotten something so easily like that... _Oh, please. You're pathetic and useless, I wouldn't be surprised if you forgot._ I wouldn't have forgot, I can't have. _Go check._ But it's three am, and I'd been at work all day, I've been working hard, I've been spending nights till eleven pm there, I should just go to sleep. _Who cares if it's three am? Time doesn't pay the bills, time doesn't please Athena._ But I'm exhausted, I just couldn't sleep for some time... so I got up. _GO CHECK. You'll fail her and everyone in your life more than you already have._ That's ridiculous, I'm sure I turned it in. _You're lazy, pathetic, idiotic. Just go check-_ Stop, please, can we just be normal for once- _you KNOW I'm right-_ Please, I just- _GO-_ Stop, I'm already crazy, I can't- _YOU KNOW I'M RIGHT. WHY CAN'T YOU EVER LISTEN?!_

Annabeth hit her back into the wall behind her, and scrubbed her face with her trembling hands. She felt like she was going crazy. She tried to keep control over herself, she really did, but ten minutes later she found herself caving to the voices in her head.

Ten minutes later she found her face illuminated by the laptop screen, back at it again, slaving away at work like it was the only thing that kept her breathing. Perhaps it was. It was like she was tied to the laptop, but the strings were invisible and she just couldn't see them, just couldn't see how she was becoming. Annabeth exhaled, eyes glued to the screen. _You're doing it right, Annabeth, good job. I told you I was right, checking makes you feel so much better, doesn't it?_ She pulled up more work, new work, suddenly invested in completing more and forgoing self-care. Just breathe.

 _In. Out. In. Out._

* * *

The brunette leaned against the chair in Annabeth's office, her kaleidoscope dimmer than usual. It was a Friday night, and Annabeth had told her she would be back from work an hour ago. Not surprisingly, Piper had called half an hour after Annabeth was supposed to be out of work, and the blonde had apologized profusely, claiming she got caught up in the office once more.

Piper had wanted to flop on the couch at her own apartment, binging Black Mirror with her friend. Calypso was out of town for the weekend; someone she knew was getting married, and Calypso, being the sweet kind of girl she was, wanted to be there for the celebration of love. It was just supposed to be Annabeth and herself. Besides, Piper had really wanted to discuss some things with her best friend. The blonde was notorious for her logical thinking and decision-making. Though Piper usually liked Calypso more for matters of the heart, Annabeth would also be helpful, and definitely preferred over making any life-changing decisions herself.

Just at that moment, Annabeth walked into the space and saw Piper immediately. Piper stood up, brushing her chocolate locks out of her face. "Beth," she greeted her with a tired smile, one Annabeth returned.

"Hey," Annabeth breathed out, nodding in her direction. "You didn't have to come all the way here," she commented, taking a seat in her chair behind her desk. "I would've come soon," she murmured distractedly as she sorted through the papers on her table.

"Maybe," Piper shrugged, "but if I come here physically and bother you, you'll leave work sooner," Piper told her with a knowing look. "Besides, I wanted to talk to you. It's okay if we don't get to watch Netflix, I just wanted to spend a little time with you." Her smile brightened slightly at the thought.

Annabeth sighed, and Piper recognized the look on her face immediately.

"If you're going to object, don't even bother," she cocked an eyebrow at the grey-eyed young woman sitting across from her. "You're busy all the time," Piper pointed out, her voice a bit colder than she'd meant, "and when you have extra free time, which is practically never, you just spend it at work," she accused.

Annabeth gave her a pointed look in return. "You knew this was my life when you signed up for it."

Piper couldn't help but let loose a frown. "Annabeth, your career isn't going anywhere. But Callie and I hardly ever see you anymore. We miss you," she said quietly. "Jobs come and go, people get fired, people find better deals. But friends will stick with you through it all if you actually treated them like friends." The hurt in her own eyes was undeniable as she spoke.

Annabeth didn't interrupt or say anything after her little statement.

"Just try, please? For me? Try to live a little," Piper suggested, walking towards the door, knowing she'd overstayed her welcome. She reached for the handle, but Annabeth stopped her.

"Wait!" They weren't quite fighting, Annabeth suspected it was because both of them were too tired to argue, but she knew deep down Piper was right. She wouldn't ever admit it, her pride blinded her, but she knew she was right. It wasn't like Annabeth didn't know her job was slowly taking over her entire life, it's just. She wasn't sure she could stop it, nor that she _wanted_ to.

Annabeth scooped up her purse, closing the screen of her laptop, and slipping her phone into her bag. "Let me make it up to you, for being late for Netflix. Let's still hang out," she suggested hastily. _Look what you did now, Annabeth. Look how you've hurt her, why are you so pathetic? Why do you do this, why are you like this?_

Piper raised an eyebrow at her sudden outburst. She knew this was Annabeth's way of apologizing without having to compromise her ego. "What do you suggest?" Piper inquired, curious. She still wanted to hang out, but hadn't expected Annabeth to cave so easily and attempt to make amends.

Annabeth was silent for a moment, her brain working in overdrive. "Let's go out to eat dinner, my treat," she suggested after a minute, a slow, yet exhausted smile gracing her features.

"Where?" Piper asked, surprised and yet delighted. Of course nothing could really bring up her mood right now, as she'd been pondering over her own problems for a while now, but she was still excited for the offer. Dinner sounded nice. She'd been planning of simply ordering herself a pizza and staying in all night, but she could go out for a nice Friday night dinner with her best friend.

"What about that little 70s themed diner on the corner near Calypso's place?" Annabeth shrugged, turning to Piper.

Piper pretended to think for a moment. "I think that's the best idea you've had all day, Beth," she said after a moment and linked elbows with the slightly taller girl, opening the door to her office and practically dragging Annabeth out after her.

Thirty minutes later, they'd successfully hailed a cab and were seated in the restaurant, sipping on their drinks as they waited for their food to be prepared. Piper felt more comfortable being in such a crowded diner. Everyone's attention wouldn't be on her, like it usually was, she wouldn't have to force a smile. It felt like just her and Annabeth were there, existing in the entire world. A feeling of bliss enveloped her, but then she remembered what she'd wanted her advice for, and her mood dampened.

As their own fun chatter died down, Piper decided to bring it up. "Hey, Beth?" she started, fiddling with her straw a little.

Annabeth must've seen the look on her face, because her forehead creased as she sipped her drink. She put down the glass. "Mhmm?"

"I wanted your advice on something."

"Shoot," Annabeth encouraged her, folding her hands in front of her neatly.

She paused for a moment, contemplating her words. "I'm thinking… I'm thinking of breaking up with Jason," Piper said outright, "but I'm not sure," she added on. Just as she declared what had been bothering her, the waitress in a blue uniform came by with their food. She set their burgers in front of them and the large fries they'd been planning to split.

"Thank you," Annabeth said, quickly recovering from Piper's statement. The waitress nodded with a tiny smile before walking away, the tray tucked under her arm. Annabeth turned her attention back to her best friend, her grey eyes fixated on her face. "You want to break up with Jason?" she inquired, unable to disguise her obvious surprise. "Why?"

Annabeth had known Jason even longer than Piper had, seeing as he worked for a rival music deal company: Thunderworks. His father, Zeus, had passed the business down to his son and had already retired, unlike Athena who chose to cling onto her power as much as she could. Though Jason and her weren't incredible friends or anything for obvious reasons, Annabeth knew he was polite and an overall good person. She still remembered when Piper had come to her after meeting him for the first time at some music event Annabeth had dragged her to in the first place. The brunette had been gushing over him, practically glowing. Their relationship had always been very stable, like a power couple, so Annabeth couldn't help but be a little surprised and confused at Piper's new declaration.

Piper reached for a fry in between them and dipped it into her cherry vanilla milkshake before chewing it thoughtfully. She seemed to be trying to avoid the intense gaze across the table from her. "It's just… gotten tense," she tried to explain, shaking her head to herself.

"You don't have to avoid my eye, Piper," Annabeth said gently. "I'm not going to judge you, and I'm not offended or anything that you want to break up with him. Why don't you start from the top?" she suggested lightly, dipping her own fries into her strawberry milkshake.

Piper nodded, hesitant still, but trusting. "The other day," she began, "we'd gone to the grocery store, we were out of milk," she explained, tending to add in useless details when she was upset or nervous. She launched into a retelling of the jerk in the store who'd outright insulted her on her appearance. Piper, being the ever fashionable girl and fairly-famous daughter of Tristan McLean, always looked her best. Her comfort with her own body was something Annabeth had always admired. It was hard for anyone to _not_ fall in love with the brunette's boldness.

He'd commented on her clothing, telling her she better cover up, treating her like an object, and though Jason had ushered her close to him when he'd overheard the man's disrespectful commentary, he'd done nothing else. Piper had been fine with that. Jason was very conserved, she knew, and she knew he wasn't the type to pick a fight or call someone out for their behavior. That was more of her thing.

That hadn't been the problem, that _still_ wasn't the problem. When the man had acted all rude, adding a few inappropriate comments after Piper had stood up for herself, and then looked to Jason, probably waiting for him to either back him or her up, Jason had stood there, refusing to pick a side. Refusing to pick a side when one the sides was his own girlfriend!

Piper explained to Annabeth how she'd stormed out of his house, and though Annabeth's expressions were always difficult to read, Piper had become a master at it after all these years. She knew Annabeth felt conflicted because she really did know Jason, and she knew it was a Jason thing to do. It wasn't hard to tell, Annabeth would've easily sided with Piper and agreed with the brunette more. Besides, Annabeth knew unlike Jason, you backed up your best friend no matter what. That's just an untold rule of friendship, that's how it worked.

"So," Annabeth said finally, after Piper had explained the situation, "you're going to break up with him because of _one_ incident?" The blonde girl cocked an eyebrow at her best friend, clearly knowing there had to be more to it. No way was Piper _that_ dramatic.

"This kind of thing hasn't just happened once, Beth," Piper said softly, shaking her head no. "He can never decide anything, Annabeth. And- and remember Reyna?" Piper brought up cautiously, quietly.

Annabeth looked at Piper sharply as soon as the Puerto Rican name was brought up. "What about her?" she asked carefully.

Reyna Avila Ramírez-Arellano was Jason's ex girlfriend from high school. She'd graduated as valedictorian, and Piper, though she was all for girl love, couldn't help but feel slightly threatened by the gorgeous, intelligent, and athletic dark-haired girl.

"He can't even take sides on a stupid argument in a store," Piper chewed mournfully on her milkshake-soaked fry. "How's he supposed to even bother choosing a girl?"

It was no secret that Reyna still liked Jason, loved him just as much as Piper did, but had broken his heart for her career. Jason still had pictures of her, and Piper couldn't help but let a little jealousy seep into her heart. As afraid as she was to break up with him and have Reyna swoop down and get him while he was single, she was more afraid of living in a relationship with a boy who couldn't decide anything, with a person who made her already frail esteem tremble 24/7 with his inability to decide between Piper's life, Reyna's life, and his own. Who clearly couldn't move past Reyna but didn't want to give Piper up, who couldn't pick sides just off pure loyalty, who couldn't live like Piper liked to, making decision quickly on the go and enjoying spontaneous outings.

Annabeth sat quietly at that statement, soaking in the truth of what Piper was saying. It wasn't good for either of them. Piper had to learn that not everyone is as comfortable with a wilder life like she lived and she had the experience a relationship/life without jealousy always haunting her, nagging her in the back of her mind and Jason had to figure out what he wanted in life, sort out his priorities, his career along with his relationships.

"So what do you think?" Piper finally asked, consulting Annabeth as honestly as she could.

Annabeth looked across the table into Piper's large, kind eyes. "I think… I think you need to do what makes you happy in the long run. Who knows, you may run back to Jason eventually?" Annabeth advised, struggling to touch into her emotions. She'd always been too logical to truly be able to give advice like this.

"Alright. I'll break up with him then," Piper decided after another moment of silence. And as they sat there, finishing up their meal, letting the comfortable silence envelop them, Piper couldn't help but doubt her decision.

What if she regretted it, what if she lost Jason forever, what if she found someone else, she wasn't sure she'd be able to handle catching feelings for somebody else, what if? But it didn't even matter because Annabeth knew and she knew, the decision was set in stone. She had to do it, or above everything else, Piper would always regret not calling it off when she had the chance.

As many fries as Piper managed to shove down her stomach, the brunette still felt empty when she left that table.

 **A/N: I hope you all liked it. I'm going to try to get ahead on my chapters so that as school picks up speed, I'll still be able to keep up. Review if you want; they're the best part about writing fanfiction, no doubt. :)**

 **Thank you so much for the support last chapter, I was really unhappy with the way that chapter turned out, and even though I don't think I'll** _ **ever**_ **be satisfied with my writing, your thoughts about my writing, whether negative or overwhelmingly positive (like they've been so far), really my day better.**

 **cursedhazel: I only really answer reviews when they're questions, but you said you cried and I felt badddd. I'm so sorry lol. Please don't cryyyyy; it's only a stupid story lmao. *virtual hugs* :)**

 **aaquater: Nope, there's no way out haha. (My evilicious roots are excited for the more climatic chapters in the future ;))**

 **BethnPercy: Why are you reading my minddddddd lol. Even though I'm the author and I** _ **know**_ **when they're going to quit avoiding each other and be together through the mess, I'm getting restless for them getting together. I think the reason it seems like it's taking forever is because I only truly write two scenes per chapter, and I post a chapter every two weeks.**

 **As for Thalia, she doesn't really mean to affect Percy like she does. You'll understand why she said what she said better later on. :)**

 **As of now, next chapter gets into some more intense angst, and the following chapter is more like an aftermath chapter, a filler. The chapter after** _ **that**_ **begins to play around with the idea of them quitting with the little dance they've been doing. But then some other shit happens and just- I'm rambling lol.**

 **Point is, I'm sorry if you're getting frustrated with how long it's taking, I am too. :P Expect the dynamic between Percabeth to begin to change dramatically after the next three to five chapters. Of course this is only an estimate and it might (hopefully) be sooner because I'm thinking I want to start writing three scenes per chapter in order to speed up the process, not two, but we'll see how it goes. School's gonna be hell :)**


	25. Love Feels Like Loneliness

**A/N: Hey, guys! I may or may not have failed a few quizzes, butttttt I finished this chapter. Please boost my already low self-esteem XD I'm jk haha. I'm going to be honest here.**

 **This is definitely** _ **not**_ **my best work. And I'm really sorry about that. :/ I'm just so busy now, school and life is ganging up on me and kicking my ass haha. I wrote more than half of this in a span of 2 days, because I really didn't want to let you guys down. But I might have to update with a longer period in between if I really have to. I don't want to, and I'm going to try my best not to. But quality of quantity guys. Anyways, enough of my awkward apologizing. I'm sorry if this is kinda shitty, I was rushing to finish it. Hope it's bearable~**

 **Disclaimer: All rights remain. Also, credit to Sabrina Carpenter for which this chapter's title is based off. She has an excellent song called 'Feels Like Loneliness.' :P**

 _It feels like I was being suffocated, sitting there in that chair. I try to focus on the little things, like how the chair rocks unevenly every time I put my weight on the right leg. But when she comes out of the kitchen, her eyes are just crazy as ever, the look on her face as unstable as it was the day before, and the day before that, and the day before that._

 _I shouldn't fear her, not anymore. I am growing now, I will be bigger than this ever could be. But I can't help but be afraid of something. Maybe it's simply the way she looks at me._

 _The way she looks at me, my mother, I don't even know how to begin explaining it. It's that look of terror and horror, that mixture of fear and sadness, so hollow. I don't know what to do, what to say to make that look vanish off her face. It was as if she was trying to picture me as someone she didn't know, someone that didn't exist. Maybe that's what she wanted, maybe she wished I didn't exist._

 _I wouldn't blame her._

 _She puts the same chipped plate in front of me, and I can't help but cringe. I want to tell her no, so I try. I try telling her, I'm not hungry, I just ate, but she insists, and with each reminder, her tone changes, growing more and more dangerous. She still treats me like I'm five._

 _I'm not stupid. I'm not five. My innocence was stripped away much too early, I know that. I don't need pity, I don't want, but I know I'm no child._

" _Mom," I try, trying to push her hand away, as she places the same glass in front of me, filled with the red, sticky liquid. I feel sick just looking at it, but she looks hurt when I act this way. As if by rejecting the same old burnt cookies and sickeningly sweet beverage I am personally offending her. "Mom," I repeat, sighing a little, and trying to reason with her. But there is no reasoning with the mentally unstable._

 _She starts to cry._

 _I feel like a terrible son… at first. I feel like a terrible human… at first. And then I realize why should I care? Why should I even care, all she does is frighten me even if I'd never admit it? I am pulled out of my thoughts with the chaotic commotion of large crashes. My blue eyes trail to the wooden, old, creaky staircase on my left._

" _Eat, please," she begs, sobbing wildly like a lunatic. I want to sob for her to stop. Stop. Stop, woman you're driving me nuts, please._

" _You're my little, my little boy," she pleads. I'm not her little boy. I stopped being her little boy, her little ray of sunshine the day they turned me like this. They_ _turned me like_ this _. So indifferent, so uncaring, so stony, so much like the people I don't want to become. I am too crazy like her, I am too unable to touch like him. I am them, I was always destined to become like them, I will always be them. Sure enough, my father descends the staircase, his typical cold, indifferent expression worn on his face. What now? What more drama must he stir up now, of all times?_

 _He opens his mouth and speaks, but I swear all I can hear is white noise. His words go in one ear, out the other. My mother's sobbing intensifies, and yet she looks relieved, and it makes me sick. It makes me physically and emotionally_ sick.

" _I'm leaving," he had said. "I'm leaving. You're a crazy old bat!" he turns his finger on my mother, and I don't even say anything. I don't know if it's because I'm shocked or because I don't care anymore. I think… I don't think I want to know the answer._

" _And you!" he whirls on me, his luggage spinning behind him. I swear I see pure evil in his eyes._

 _And all I can think of are the times he didn't pick me up from school, and I had to wait, a small little 5 five year old, in a waiting room, adults and teachers desperately dialing his number, but to no avail. He never picked up. He never had time for me, he was at work._

 _And all I can think of are the times he glared at me, his face slowly turning red and I knew, I_ know, _that if this were a cartoon, steam would be coming out of his ears. I absentmindedly remember wondering if you could fry an egg on how hot his face was. I can only remember the way he clenched his fist, as he does now, whenever he talks to me. I am his embarrassment, his biggest regret, probably the reason my parents' relationship is coming undone once and for all, and he would kill me. I know he would, I can see it on his face when he digs his fingernails into his fleshy palm._

 _Don't hit him, don't hit him, he'll probably cry and run to the police, that little bastard, don't you dare._

" _You're not my son," he tells me as he always has, as he recklessly shoves papers and food off the table. The cookies land on the ground, spilling crumbs everywhere, but they do not break from the charcoal black edges and bottoms. The red liquid splashes everywhere and I know there is no way to clean it up, we will have to throw out that rug. The plate shatters into a million pieces, but still, I think my heart breaks into more. "You're not my son, you're not my son, you're not my son_

 _But plates can be replaced._

 _And when he walks out that door, slamming it shut forcefully after him, and when my mother sobs over a man she planned to leave for reasons I do not think I will ever understand, I know then as I have always known deep down._

 _I never was._

* * *

It was March and Annabeth could not be more anxious for the cold, nipping weather to calm down. _March goes in like a lion and out like a lamb._ Annabeth wasn't too sure about that statement. Sure, any intelligent person (or even slightly below average human being) knew that lions were dangerous predators that camouflage with the tall, golden grass. They were deadly, especially the females that did all the hunting. But Annabeth was pretty sure she'd met a few aggressive sheep in her lifetime.

She still remembered that day at the petting zoo. In first grade, her class went on a field trip to the farm, and despite the warnings the caretakers gave, one small, particularly chubby, round little boy with red cheeks and brown stringy hair, decided that getting a little closer to the smelly sheep would be wise, plus most importantly _fun._

However, his short-lived fun had come to a painful and abrupt end when a sheep he had gotten particularly rough with decided to retaliate by nipping his finger. The boy, Bobby (though sharing the same name as one of her little brothers, Annabeth honestly thought her brothers were smarter, even if she was a bit partial or biased), had ended up sobbing for a good hour or two after the incident. His mother ended up picking him up from school and he probably, most-likely cried the entire car ride home, being the baby he had been.

Annabeth wasn't quite sure why she was contemplating the incident with Bobby from her childhood while she patiently waited for her papers to print, but it was an amusing thought nonetheless. She still remembered the sneer on her face as he glared at her, before being ushered away. The blonde had, after all, advised him _not_ to disobey rules and the directions ahead of time, but Bobby had chosen to disregard her young wise words. Served him right for being an undisciplined idiot, at least, in her opinion.

Annabeth sighed at the printer in front of her; it wasn't that the printer was incompetent. In fact, it was one of the latest models, but Athena was having her complete so much damn work, she could feel the remnants, the bare crumbs of her sanity slipping out of her fingertips. All she was printing was papers she'd have to read and sign, etc. Her eyes dimmed as she looked at the page count on the green, light-up touchscreen.

Before she knew it, she realized she'd been hogging the machine for far too long when another one of her client's actually came along and spot the long-lost light in her eyes.

"Ms. Chase?" he inquired. He had dark brown hair that curled around his ears and pale, baby blue eyes. Annabeth couldn't help but compare him to Percy's dashing good looks, with his raven black hair and entrancing sea green eyes. Annabeth also couldn't help but notice his term for her. Why did everyone refer to her as 'Ms. Chase'? None of the other managers received the same treatment from any one of their clients.

It wasn't fair, it simply wasn't. And yeah, of course, _life's not fair,_ and _the world doesn't owe you a cent._ Yeah Annabeth fucking knew that already, but she still hated it.

Realizing she'd been asked a question, Annabeth's head quickly snapped up to pay attention. "Andrew?" she peered at the slightly-taller-than-Percy young man. Lots of women preferred taller guys, but Annabeth couldn't help but subconsciously defend the thought. Her head fit on Percy's chest a whole lot better because their sizes were proportionate.

And then she berated herself for the thought, of course. Because no, she's not his fucking girlfriend and no, they aren't in a relationship nor will they ever be. They aren't even fuck buddies, not really, because she can't even talk to him these days and neither can he to her.

Andrew cocked his head at her slightly. "Hey," he said with an easygoing, charming smile. One that gave Annabeth a cold pit in her stomach because it's one she's seen all too many times. The feeling of dread washed over her before she could even register it.

"Hello," she nodded at him as politely as she could, and then turned back to the printer to signify that their conversation was over. Her black heel tapped against the ground nervously.

"So, what's up?" Andrew asked, leaning casually against the side of the printer. He was the bass player of one of the bands Annabeth managed. Annabeth wasn't sure if he couldn't take a hint, was making her uncomfortable like this on purpose, or if the high volume at which his band played and practiced their music was finally getting to him, but she stared at him with a blank expression. How much more stupid could this boy be?

"Just waiting for a couple things to print," Annabeth said sharply, hoping he would understand this conversation was over. It's not that Annabeth didn't like her other clients; that wasn't true at all. Some, like Andrew, just put her on edge, that's all.

He nodded in understanding. "Your hair looks nice today," Andrew told her, and Annabeth just stared at him. _This was how she wore her hair every damn day._

"Thank you," she said stiffly, not oblivious to his blatant flirting, but choosing to ignore it, at least for the time being.

"Hey, I was wondering," he began, and Annabeth cringed. Too invested in the terrible direction where this was headed, she didn't seem to notice another figure saunder up behind her. "I was wondering if you'd like to have dinner tonight with the band?" He didn't even appear hopeful, more smug with a lazy, arrogant smile that Annabeth would've slapped off his face by now had Athena not been her boss. He looked like he _knew_ Annabeth was going to say yes, he looked at her like she was already his girlfriend.

Annabeth rolled her eyes as he continued, when she didn't say anything. "Me and the band are meeting at that little place near Dave's Comic Book store. It's gonna be fun, you should come."

 _The band and I,_ she wanted to scream. _Use proper grammar, you nitwit._ Annabeth opened her mouth to decline as politely as she could, whilst most-likely envisioning how it would feel to have her hands wrapped around his pale neck, but the unnoticed young man behind her beat her to it.

"Take a hint dude, she's not interested." His voice was low and a little rough around the edges, so familiar…

Annabeth whirled around to face the person who had successfully snuck up behind her without her noticing. And then she felt queasy. Standing there between that rude, disrespectful upstart, Andrew, and Perseus Jackson. She didn't think she'd ever seen him like this before. He looked overprotective… and almost… was that… jealous?

"Jackson," Annabeth greeted stiffly, but his sea green eyes did not move off Andrew's. As much as she hadn't wanted to have that dinner with Andrew, of course not, she couldn't help but seethe at Percy as she stood there. She didn't need him to stand up for her, and she certainly didn't need him to come here, act jealous like some sort of controlling boyfriend. It wasn't cute. He was an adult, and as much as any girl said, Annabeth did not find jealousy an attractive color.

"I'll talk to you later," she told the raven-haired boy, her tone reflecting her annoyance as clear as day. "I need to finish up some business with my other client, you know Andrew," Annabeth gestured to the brunet. Andrew offered a smug grin in return, and Annabeth swore she fucking _saw_ the fire light up in Percy's eyes.

"Hey, Andrew, can you excuse me one minute? I'll come find you later," Annabeth promised, though she had no intention of doing anything of the sort. "I need to have a little talk with Mr. Jackson here," she requested sweetly, smothering down her infuriation at _both_ of them. Andrew just gave her a little bob of his head and then sauntered away. In a split second, Annabeth whirled on Percy, and it felt like electricity crackled between their eyes like in children's anime cartoons, before there was a giant smackdown. They glared at each other, for lack of better term, the temperature of the room seeming to rise with every second that passed.

"My office, _now,"_ the blonde demanded, and if Percy hadn't been so angry himself, shivers would have gone down his spine.

Once in the office, all hell broke loose, starting with a loud, violent slam of her office door behind the both of them.

Annabeth whipped around to face him and glared heatedly, pursing her lips angrily. "I can't believe you!" she exploded with as much fervor as she could muster. Annabeth's wrath was not unlike Athena's, making her a very intimidating woman indeed. "What the fuck, what the actual fucking hell was that!" she screamed, getting all up in his face. But Percy didn't seem to back down.

"Why the actual hell are you acting like some sort of clingy, jealous boyfriend?!" Annabeth's arms waved around everywhere, in big, terrifying motions. But she never slapped him. There was no way she ever could, no matter how angry she got at him. Not after all she knew…

"Do you think that's cute? Because newsflash Jackson, it's not cute nor is it endearing! You don't fucking speak for me, _ever._ You hear me? Ever! And you're not allowed to get jealous! You're not my fucking boyfriend, don't you get it? You're not!" She carded her hands and fingers through her hair, messing it up more than it already had been. "And you've been ignoring me all this time! You wouldn't even speak to me; you don't get to pretend that you actually care now!" Her words bit deep under Percy's skin, and at the last comment, he flinched.

He didn't even say anything, just let her yell and yell, but his internal anger did not deflate. All he could focus on was how much, just _how much_ he wanted to hurt Andrew in that moment. How much he _still_ wanted to hurt Andrew. And that internal violence, it fucking scared him. Percy wasn't a particularly fight-picking guy. Sure, he would defend his own honor if need be, but for the most part, he was cool and collected. But he had just lost his temper when he saw Andrew acting like he owned Annabeth, nobody owned Annabeth. And he knew she could defend herself, but god he couldn't help himself.

And the internal violence, it terrified him to no end. But he didn't seem to be able to calm down. Plus with Annabeth screaming at him like there was no tomorrow, his temper only heightened. "That's enough, Chase, please," he said, his voice strained. But she only glared harder and yelled louder. It had been a mistake or something. To him, it meant nothing. Their one night stand, whatever, it all meant nothing anymore. Fuck him, fuck him so much.

"Why can't you just-"

"Annabeth, I said _enough_!" Percy exclaimed, his voice bouncing off the walls.

Annabeth froze, a notion anyone would have thought impossible to accomplish. But Percy never yelled. Percy was smug and cocky, arrogant and snarky, but he never yelled, ever. Oh, how the tables had turned.

Annabeth was seemingly an unstoppable force her entire life until now. Her eyes widened, tinted by a resemblance of fucking _fear_ , and she instinctively took a step back, back away from him. Percy froze too, frozen in guilt and horror, and fear. So much fear. A cold sweat ran down his back when he realized why he felt so guilty to feel angry. _He felt like Gabe._ An unwelcome shiver enveloped him.

"I-I-," he stepped away from her as well, afraid to come too close, afraid to have her here in his presence, afraid to touch her. He backed away slowly, swallowing hard, his Adam's apple bobbing. "I have to go." And with those simple words, he spun on his heels leaving Annabeth there, and practically _ran_ away. Annabeth watched his back disappear out of sight, still frozen with her eyes wide. It felt like an unofficial break, when he turned and left her there, softly shutting the door behind him.

She swallowed thickly, feeling sick. It hurt, it hurt so bad. She hurt, he hurt. She was full with her internal affliction. It just all felt so… lonely. Then she turned and walked the other way.

Love feels like loneliness sometimes.

* * *

"You guys are going to make me fat," Annabeth looked at Calypso and Piper.

She stared at the loaded ice cream bowl in front of her. They decided to split it. After calling Annabeth once work was over, Piper had managed to discover her friend was in a bit of bad mood. Unfortunately for the blonde, Calypso and Piper were master cheer-uppers. After hauling Annabeth's sorry ass out of her apartment, despite her complaining and disagreeable personality, they'd managed to get her to slip into a pair of skinny jeans and a t shirt. (Read: forced.)

Piper had pretty much forced the blonde to change by withholding her laptop from her until she changed. Desperate, the blonde had succumbed to her best friend's request. Calypso had simply watched the whole thing in amusement.

Now they sat in a booth, practically crushing the blonde in between them, sharing the cold treat despite the cool weather outside. Calypso started talking about her trip for the wedding she'd attended, gushing about the lovely dress, the flawless bride, and even if she was talking about weddings and commitment (something Annabeth wasn't too good with), Callie's enthusiasm was contagious.

A tiny smile graced Annabeth's features as Calypso talked, her delicate hands and wrists waving around crazily. At one point her hair even whipped around and hit Annabeth in the face, causing the three of them to erupt in giggles.

It felt like old times, it really did. Something for which Annabeth was very grateful for. It felt like she was back in college, surrounded by the bubbly chatter of her best friends. Yet there was still feeling of dread hanging over her. She just couldn't get his face out of her mind, that look on his face…

It was so unlike him. He had looked at her with a demonic look passing over his face, like something had possessed him. And the way he'd looked at Andrew was even worse. Annabeth contemplated it all, the scenario of their falling out replaying tauntingly in her mind, as she picked at the ice cream in front of her. She had no doubt, had she not been there, he would have decked Andrew right then and there. But… but he wasn't violent. He only fought when he had to. The only time Annabeth had ever seen him throw a punch was when Luke had been… invading her.

He was sarcastic, yet sweet, he was an enigma. He was selfish, but generous, cruel, yet kind, sarcastic and indifferent, but gentle and caring.

But Annabeth didn't know who this new person was, she didn't recognize him. Not when he carried such animalistic traits. She felt different about him, after seeing whatever the hell had happened back there in her office. She wasn't scared per se, no Annabeth Chase was never scared, she refused. But she was most certainly cautious.

"Annabeth?" the kind brunette's voice pulled her out of her daydreams (or daymares). Her head snapped up, looking up at Piper's frowning, concerned face. On her right, Calypso's forehead was scrunched up, equally worried.

"Huh?" Annabeth said, peeling her eyes away from the slowly melting ice cream to meet kaleidoscope and almond eyes.

"You seem kind of spacey, Beth, wanna talk about it?" Calypso requested sweetly, not so subtly catching Piper's gaze in a worried glance.

Letting the words sink in for a moment, Annabeth slowly shook her head no. "I'm fine, guys," she said, as convincingly as she could. "I was just lost in thought, like usual. You know me." She gave them both a look to drop it, and so they did.

"What are you guys doing this weekend?" the blonde piped up, attempting to change the conversation and take the heat off her. Piper looked at Calypso, shrugged, and then turned her attention back to the stressed, yet brilliant young woman squished in between them.

"Had nothing planned," Piper told her, Calypso just nodding in agreement.

"Did you have something in mind?" Calypso asked kindly. Annabeth nodded slowly.

It was about time, or so she thought, that she took the wheel in this friendship. They were always so good to her and Annabeth couldn't help but feel inadequate and rotten inside. She loved them both and they should hang out because Annabeth initiated and it and not just because someone was having a rough time. "What do you think of Saturday?"

A slow ensemble of simultaneous nods spread across the booth. "Perfect," a grin stretched across Annabeth's face, and for once it didn't feel fake. "My apartment, Saturday," she told them both. "Now," she turned her attention to the obviously more important thing. "We better eat this stuff before it turns to soup," she said, her eyes crinkling at the corners. Piper returned her smile. It was going to be okay, she knew, she knew that's what Annabeth was saying. They could solve one problem at a time, they would be okay. And maybe it was just starting with the small things like a bowl ice cream, but it was something regardless.

 _It'll be okay,_ her now soft grey eyes seemed to say. And once the ice cream was over, filling them up with much more sugar than they probably should have consumed they sat there in silence, just the three of them. Just like old times.

"I love you guys," Annabeth said suddenly, catching both Calypso and Piper off guard. Annabeth was never one to declare her emotions as easily as she just did, even if she felt them. She was just so accustomed to concealing the way she felt, breathed, thought.

Nobody said anything after that either, just letting the sentiment ring truthfully, carried into the comfortable silence. _I love you guys,_ she'd said, and made it simple like that. And maybe someone small would ask _really?_ And maybe Annabeth would have cringed if she hadn't been as at peace as she was. But it felt, just for once.

To allow the truth to do its job.

* * *

Malcolm has been and always will be one of Annabeth's favorite people in the entire world. He feels like a real older brother, one she always wanted, and never got. Instead, she was shouldered with the responsibility of carrying the burden of being the oldest one. She'd never wanted that. And maybe Malcolm wasn't _really_ her brother, at least not by blood. But to her, it was good enough, he was more than enough.

They walked side by side, choosing the begin their weekend with a little pleasant company. As they walked closely, Annabeth examined him out of the corner of her eye, as subtle as she could. She would probably die from mortification and his teasing if he caught her. Annabeth would _not_ allow that to happen; she clutched her pride so close to her chest. In fact, it was probably one of the things that took up the most amount of space in her heart, though it wasn't like she was exactly proud of that fact.

She carefully noticed how he walked, his little mannerisms. His shoulders were always slightly hunched, and he had not quite poor posture, but not the best either. It was so unlike her own, with her chin always tilted slightly up, her torso square and her chest puffed out slightly in a haughty kind of pride. His square hands, soft and warm, were always stuffed in his trouser pockets. His steel grey eyes, not unlike her own, were always focused on the ground when he walked. Quietly observing his behavior, Annabeth couldn't help but admire him. And compare him, a bad habit of hers. But this wasn't like Andrew and Percy. As much as people suspected and created rumors, their relationship was purely platonic.

Still, she couldn't help but notice how Percy also slouched, but unlike Malcolm. Percy had more of a swagger, than a shy demeanor. Percy never stuffed his hands in his pockets, proudly displaying his guitar-calloused fingers. Percy, like Malcolm, always looked you in the eye, but whereas Malcolm's was a soft, understanding gaze, Percy's made you squirm. Percy's made your heart start racing, even if you didn't know him, even if you weren't attracted to him. He just had that intense sort of vibe, aura constantly radiating off him.

While Percy always had a casual appearance, Malcolm always looked sharp, decked out entirely in a freshly pressed suit and a plain, perfect tie for each day. Annabeth really had to commend him for his dedication. His hair was always perfectly gelled down, the clean strokes where he ran his comb through still visible. But even when Percy dressed up in a suit, his tie was loose a few hours in, his hair perfectly bedhead, a crooked smirk adorning his face, his eyes bright, _too_ bright. Malcolm, though kind of shy, walked like he was sure of himself, but Percy. Lord, he was going to be the death of her, when he suavely spun around, you _knew_ he knew he had no damn idea what he was doing, and lived for it.

Snapping her head out of it, Annabeth turned back to Malcolm, trying to keep Percy out of her brain. Just the thought of him, the image of him in her mind pained her more than it should've. And she knew, Annabeth berated herself, she knew she should have been more careful with him. She should have known she can't trust boys with pretty eyes and wicked smiles. The simple thought of him knocked all the air out of her chest, winding her.

"Beth?" Malcolm's voice cut through her head, silencing Percy's entrancing whispers and his mesmerizing green eyes. "You okay?" he had stopped walking, observing Annabeth with his head tilted slightly to the left.

Catching her breath, and her cheeks slightly pink from both embarrassment and guilt over how it had all gone down, she nodded slightly at him, nodding at him and pasting a smile on her face. "Fine," she said breathily. "Now hurry up or we're going to make it to Central Park tomorrow," she snorted, and a smile crossed across Malcolm's face, despite her snippy tone. He was just glad to have Annabeth back as she normally was. She'd been freaking him out a little with the sudden shortness of breath. At first he figured a spider of some shit was crawling on him (he'd noticed her staring at him, and just brushed it off, because he knew Annabeth like the back of his hand. She was curious and intelligent). Not to mention, he knew she was deathly afraid of those eight-eyed beings, so he honestly wouldn't be surprised if she quit breathing and passed out after seeing one.

Pointing her chin up pridefully and brushing off her painful memories, the blonde elbowed in front of him teasingly, and led the way, her heels clicking against the pavement with such defiance, Malcolm couldn't help but chortle under his breath before following after her dutifully.

Annabeth ordered smoothies from her favorite smoothie store, their first destination, with such authority Malcolm was weirdly proud. It wasn't like he'd never been like this, she often and usually was, but sometimes it just hit him in waves. Just how much he loved her, just how proud of her he was, just how much he wished he could shield the entire world from her, protecting her even though he damn well knew she didn't need anyone's protection. Annabeth could kill anyone with her fucking glare, he knew. He'd been on the wrong side of that pointed look far too many times. Still he smothered down a big brother smile as she ordered for him too, knowing exactly what he liked by heart.

"Now don't spill," she teased, handing him his orange and pineapple smoothie, stuffing a napkin in his left hand and as well. A smirk adorned her face, the lilt in her voice clear as day. He just rolled his eyes good-naturedly.

"Yes mommy," he teased back, causing her to snort in the least ladylike way possible. Only that made him love her even more, making his heart feel full to see her so happy. Sipping from her own strawberry and peach smoothie, she ushered him out the glass doors.

"To Central Park," she announced with a tone of finality.

He followed her to the park too, but she let him catch up, strolling easily along her side. Taking her usual spot on the right side of the chipped green bench, she stared out at the greenery, watching the children play in peace. Malcolm pecked the top of her head and let her slump against his warm, soft figure.

Percy never kissed the top of her head, they just weren't like that. And it of course, once again, it would always feel different with Malcolm. Malcolm was like her big brother and she loved him irrationally and for forever. It is so easy with Malcolm, it always is. For that, Annabeth is once again irrationally relieved. She knows, she fucking _knows_ she's difficult, so it is refreshing to spend time with Malcolm.

Malcolm who gets her. Malcolm who gave her a popsicle and put a bandaid over her scraped knee when she fell off her bike back when she was 7. Malcolm who read her books even before she could. Malcolm who brought her chicken noodle soup when she caught the flu at age 10 because he knows her and he knows her family, and he knew Athena wouldn't have even cared or noticed had Annabeth walked into the house with a shattered leg and a bullet wound in her chest. Malcolm who dried her tears when her mother divorced her father and he moved back to San Francisco, taking her brothers Bobby and Matthew with him. Malcolm who had said nothing when Jennifer London called her a whore in 3rd grade and Annabeth had laughed in her face, knowing full well that Annabeth was capable of defending herself and that the blonde was never one to take something to heart from mere strangers. Malcolm who was always there, without fail, to pick her up when she hit the ground. Malcolm who only refrained from flying halfway across the country when she'd ended up in the hospital from overdose because Annabeth would've killed him if he flew all the way, wasting money, and giving up his opportunity in Luxembourg (he had been out of town for business) just to check on her.

So when Malcolm asked about Percy because of _course_ he fucking knew what everything was about, he knew her better than she knew herself, she told him everything. And of course he knew exactly what to say, wrapping his arm around her shoulder comfortingly, as she spilled her guts, the both of them relishing in the peaceful rustle of trees and the gleeful cheer of frolicking children. Of course he knew exactly what she felt, but he wanted her to understand her own emotions too. Of course he didn't prod or push, because he didn't fucking have to. Annabeth would give him anything, tell him anything. He was the one thing she loved more than anything, even beating out her best of friends, just barely. She would lay down her life for him without any hesitation, she would tell him all her secrets, she would take the blame for his mistakes, there was nothing she wouldn't do to keep him by her side forever.

Love hurts, but it heals too.

 **A/N: Soooo what do you guys think? What did you like, what didn't you? Feel free to leave me a review, they're the greatest things ever. :)**

 **P.S. I don't know if it's too early for you guys to be able to tell who's narrating the scenes in italics at the beginning of every chapter (it's kind of hard for me to gage your knowledge when I already know everything that's happening lol). I've dropped some bigger clues this chapter, so if you have any guesses (I obviously won't confirm nor deny any guesses), go ahead and let me know in the reviews. I'm curious as to see if anyone's figured it out yet! :D**

 **Cheerra12: Because I don't believe in perfect people, so how could I ever believe in perfect relationships? :)**

 **Chlo Bingham: I don't have Percabeth in** _ **every**_ **chapter haha. Though they're the main ship of the story, not everything revolves around them lol. Omg dude I knowwwwwww ugh haha. I'm so frustrated with myself XD because literally the first thing I did was figure out how many weeks it would be before that shit started picking up speed. However, I managed to write three scenes instead of two in this chapter, so if I can keep this up, it will definitely be much faster! :D And yep, my updates are every other work. :)**

 **Mitsuha Miyamizi: Thank you so much! I've been trying so hard to stray away from a typical cliche, and I feared I just kept getting closer and closer to it. If you're referring to the fact that I never wrote Percy give the phone to her (because I'm pretty sure I wrote Calypso picking it up), I think I cut that scene out simply because it wasn't working out how I wanted it to, so I decided to just let you all assume that he gave it back, probably got chastised by Annabeth, and that was about it. But I can see how that can be confusing; my apologies! Hmm is the avoidance confusing? Pretty much, in short, Percy's avoiding Annabeth because Thalia and Nico warned him to stay away from someone like her, and he's just doing his best. I might try and work some more details about that in, however, if you had some confusion! My apologies, once again. :) Haha, it's quite alright even if you were 12. I've gotten PMs from pretty young readers before, but I love them all the same. :)**

 **aaquater: Well you might be in luck! I tried so hard to get 3 scenes released this time and speed it up but I got super stressed out and overwhelmed, so I'm fairly certain I won't be able to do that everytime. I actually did not know of that song, but I checked it out after seeing your review and I actually think you're right! Thanks for showing me some new music~ :)**

 **Anyways, until next time. Thank you all so much for the reviews! You guys flatter me haha *fans face* XD Bye guys, and for those of you in school like me, hope it's going well. Or as well as it really go, I suppose~**


	26. Mend A Broken Heart

**A/N: ...hi. o.o I'm so sorry I missed update days! I'm such an asshole, jfc. I was super busy these past weeks you guys, like honestly. Shit ain't going my way lol :P Not to mention, I was out of town for some time because of a family emergency and then I had to catch up all the school shit I missed, which sucks assssss. I'm not trying to excuse myself of course, I should've released this on time and my sincerest apologies to you all, but I didn't even get time to start this till this morning.**

 **This unfortunately means it won't be my best work and it's super short. Once again, I'm SO SORRY for the delay! I hope you like it anyways, I'm sorry guys. DX I'm such a fuck up, I know~ The worst part is, I just hit 200 followers, and I have to deliver this shit, a pathetic excuse for a thank you.**

 **Disclaimer: All rights remain.**

 _It just all feels slow as I grow older, and with age comes more exhaustion for whatever this life is. And loneliness, so lonely._

 _I come home, I slip through the doors, clinging to the pasty, white walls opposite the staircase with hopes that she won't see me. And she never does. My mom stands by the front door, always, waiting for my father to come home, but he never does. I don't understand why she waits, gazing out the red door with happy eyes. At least… happy for a while._

 _Then time passes, as it always does. Seconds slip through her fingers, then minutes, hours, and every day it resets. She is happy, waiting for a man she doesn't even love, and when he doesn't come, she breaks into her hands, sobbing like a madwoman, sometimes even trying to search for me, offering me her standard brick-cookies and sickeningly-sweet beverage._

 _I feel like a fool, but I hide at first, locking the door and taking refuge under my bed, or in the closet, fearing that look in her eyes. And then it starts all over again, my mother rising with the tortilla sun to make oily omelettes and limp bacon for breakfast. Then the sun falls again, the cloak of the night covering us, and she returns to how she was just 24 hours ago, nursing an empty bottle and throwing cookies at the closed front door._

 _Then_ she _comes into my life, her impish grin and lamp black hair, the delicate freckles that just hardly dot the bridge of her nose, her eyes as stormy as an angry sky. She throws me off guard, sweeping me under the feet like a tsunami I will never recover from. She's beautiful like pale winter snow, small but packed with energy like I've never seen, and will probably never see again. In that small body of hers, she contains all the storms of the sky, all the laughter of a lifetime, all the adventure that only fictional characters possess, or so I'd thought. She hit me over the head, a slap to the face I never recognized I needed._

 _She makes me laugh, but she doesn't like to be held so I keep an arm's distance between us. At first she tells me she isn't anyone's. That she's not like that. That she belongs to no man and no city. But then slowly she touches my hand when I'm not paying attention, brushing it lightly like a feather, the gentle tickle of an autumn leaf. It's hard to remember that she is strong, that she isn't afraid to put anyone in their place. It's hard to remember that she isn't anybody's when I want so badly for her to be mine. I've never had something that's mine. My dad wasn't mine, and I wasn't his, he left, I'm not his son. My mom isn't mine, and I am not her little boy. She is simply a vacant shell of a being; Koopa Troopa, wandering the worlds aimlessly in search of Mario. I want something to be mine, I want to be somebody's else's mine. I want it so bad it hurts._

 _With the sun above our heads, shining the light on us, as if it was made for us and only us, it feels like the start of something new, so I lean over and whisper something into her ear. Just a small vow, between the two of us, one I had hoped to keep for all of eternity._

* * *

To put it simply, Percy didn't mean to yell at her like that. It was April when he finally came out of his hiding place, when he stopped treating her like a fragile vase that he couldn't even be in the presence of, and came to apologize.

He didn't apologize for defending her from Andrew, because he knew she'd yell at him the second he spoke in that moment, he didn't apologize for acting like a jealous ex-boyfriend, because he knew he had to act like that to get Andrew to lay off Annabeth's case, but he apologized for something she didn't understand. He apologized because he was not Gabe, he didn't want to be Gabe, he was fucking _terrified_ of being Gabe. Percy stood outside her office door, nervous like a young high school boy asking the head cheerleader out to prom and it made him feel stupid for being so nervous. Slowly, he raised his knuckles to the door, and just when he was about to knock, Annabeth swung the door open, letting out a surprised yelp when she accidentally bumped into her client.

"Percy?" she asked, the surprise evident in her voice. Her eyebrows knit above her gorgeous grey eyes, in concern of course, and Percy swallowed thickly. Sure, his pride was nothing compared to Annabeth's, nobody held a candle to her hubris, but still the words were stuck in his throat.

"I- um," he stammered out awkwardly, like an idiot. It didn't help that Annabeth was staring at him as if he was a kicked puppy, unable to take care of himself. Percy didn't need her concern or pity, but in order not to start a whole new argument, he didn't bring it up, biting his tongue and gritting his pearly teeth instead.

The silence washed over them and Annabeth looked like she was about to voice her worries about him so Percy knew he had to do something, and _fast._ Jerking forward, he shoved a box out to her. It was nothing special, just a small white box, the type that typically held small pastries, and Annabeth couldn't help but feel slightly awkward as well. She stared at the box uncomfortably, something in her going off. He wasn't her boyfriend, he couldn't just casually get her presents like this. Her heart sank in her chest, like an anchor weighed down in the bright blue sea. Annabeth stood there, the tortuous ache in her chest only intensifying, a frown etched onto her face, hoping she was imagining this.

When she didn't immediately reach out to take the box from his hands, Percy's heart began to beat out of his chest, so much so that he was irrationally worried she'd be able to hear it, a thought he very well knew was stupid and unreasonable. He wanted to ask what was wrong, but he didn't even want to go there, didn't even want to bother opening up that can of worms. A better question would be what _wasn't_ wrong, and he fucking knew it. The silence threatened to choke him and before the situation could get any worse, he decided to speak up, wincing as his voice sharpy cut through the tense air.

"I thought flowers were too cliche."

Annabeth's scrutinizing gaze didn't help, making his palms sweat a little.

"Pardon me?" Annabeth croaked out finally, deciding that not accepting the gift was more awkward as she swiftly took it from his hands, though clearly hesitant.

"Besides," Percy babbled on, cringing internally, begging himself to stop talking before he said something so stupid she'd never forgive him, "flowers die easily." Annabeth stared at him blankly. "And," it seemed as if it was impossible for him to shut up, "you told me you eat strawberries when you're happy. And- and crunchy foods when you're nervous, and soft pretzels when you're sad," his voice slowly trailed off and quieted as he continued.

"Oh," was all she said, tilting her head and peering at him thoughtfully. "I didn't think you'd remember that," Annabeth bit her lip nervously.

"Why wouldn't I?" Percy replied softly, his eyes not meeting hers. This, this is exactly why he just fucked and moved on. But he was in too deep to move on, and they were friends, at least he still hoped they were. She was surprisingly lighthearted, funny, _fun._ She matched his wit and understood his sarcasm, she knew how he functioned, she was independent and related with his need for his own privacy and secrets. He couldn't let her go that easy, he hadn't known someone like her in so long, in _too_ long.

"My mom always used to say the quickest way to anyone's heart is food," Percy said, seemingly in a world other than the one they were standing in, lost in his own mind, staring through Annabeth. His eyes didn't quite glass over, but a certain depth flickered across his expression, one that wasn't there before he'd uttered those words.

"T-thank you," Annabeth stammered, caught off guard by the look on his face. Nodding to himself, vanishing into a world Annabeth wished she could see, Percy left, drifting aimlessly down the stairs and out of the building. Shutting the glass doors behind him, Annabeth tried to shake her worry for him, from both his previous outburst and now his strange behavior, and sank into the leather seat on wheels behind her desk. Flicking open the box, she couldn't disguise the small smile that made its way onto her face.

Chocolate dipped strawberries. Annabeth knew Percy enough to know it was his way of apologizing, and as she pondered over the way he'd said _the way to anyone's HEART_ , she took a bite of the sweet strawberries, trying to forget anything else. Annabeth couldn't help but to cherish that feeling, that easygoing, relaxed feeling, and she couldn't help but feel like everything was going to be alright, a thought she'd always deemed as naive and ridiculous. It felt like a new beginning, one that Annabeth was more than happy to entertain, a new beginning with new chances, new risks, and new experiences.

* * *

"Damn it! Fucking useless piece of shit!" a certain almond-eyed beauty cussed loudly, twisting her keys in the ignition, her face contorting angrily when the engine sputtered, coughing sickly as April showers splattered on the roof of her red Prius. Slamming her hand into the wheel, Calypso puffed out a small, frustrated breath of air. Another loose, somewhat incoherent and unintelligible, string of curses escaped her lips as she searched her car and herself, patting down her pockets and scanning the coffee cup holder for her phone. She'd have to call a tow truck, which would cost money on top of the repairs she needed done for her car, and just- she was stressed, to say the least.

Carding her fingers through her messy caramel hair, she reluctantly called a tow truck, when a brilliant idea struck her. Requesting for it to be towed to Leo's shop, the tiniest bit of her frustration melted away. The small Latino boy seemed to be able to brighten up any situation and admittedly, Calypso had taken a liking to him ever since she'd retrieved Annabeth's phone from the shop for Percy Jackson. It'd be refreshing to see a friendly face for once.

Making her decision, Calypso abruptly and slightly aggressively flicked her coat hood over her hair to shield her from the sky's tears, hopping out of her car and landing in a puddle, making a splash with her boots. Slipping her phone into her purse and swinging the purse onto her wrist, she defiantly raised her chin in the air and slammed the car door shut. She barely blinked, watching her car get towed away, only focusing on the positive in order to refrain from breaking something out of irritation. Raising her hand and stepping out onto the busy street, Calypso hailed a yellow taxi cab, and breathlessly climbed in, rattling off an address quickly and settling back in the seat, watching the lighted city speed by her as the taxi driver dodge traffic to the best of his abilities.

After handing the man a few perfectly folded green bills, Calypso smothered down a tiny smile of excitement as she strode into the store, the bell jingling warmly when she cracked the door open. After waiting a moment at the front desk, slowly growing impatient to come face to face with the bright-eyed owner, Leo finally came out from around the back, his hands stained with the typical black grease marks, a streak even smeared across his left cheek.

"Sorry about the wait; some Eco-friendly car was towed here. I don't even know whose car it is, but with my luck, it's probably one of those crazy nature lunatics," Leo snorted, eyes widening when he realized it was Calypso who had come in. "Oh. Hi," he swallowed nervously, intimidated by how pretty she was, and just everything about her. She carried the scent of cinnamon with her, she had large intelligent almond-shaped eyes, she was naturally and effortless beautiful, a timeless kind of beauty, one that left you wondering if she was a young adult or some thousand-year-old goddess. She was caring and sweet, but witty and rebellious if she chose to be, she was funny in a quiet sort of way, in a way that you'd have to listen carefully, hanging onto her every word, but you wouldn't regret it in the end. He didn't even know how to handle himself, shakily sucking in a breath of air.

"Haven't seen you in a while… Calypso?" he raised his voice at the end, as if it was a question, even though he damn well knew her name had been stuck in his head for two weeks after their initial encounter.

Calypso grinned- she couldn't help it, it'd just been so long- as she took in his features: his curly brown hair, mischievous chocolate eyes, the energetic tapping of his finger against the counter. "Nice to see you too, Leo," and all her anger dissipated, just like that.

"So," he began, "what brings you here?" a smile to match hers spreading across his face.

"Actually, I'm the Eco-idiot you mentioned earlier," her eyes sparkled with amusement and Leo could feel his cheeks heating up with embarrassment, only heightened by his nervousness.

"Shit," he cursed quietly. "I didn't- I didn't mean it like- I-" Leo began but was quickly cut off by Calypso's light laughter, laughter the sound of wind chimes, glittery and easygoing, musical.

"It's fine," she smothered another smile. "I don't like liars," she told him softly, looking upon him hopefully. Calypso didn't mean to outright _flirt;_ she was much too shy and embarrassing to partake in such a bold choice, but that didn't mean she would mind terribly if he, say, asked her to have share a coffee sometime or catch a movie. She would ask herself of course, she wasn't about that bullshit men-asking-women-only mindset, but she was terrified to be turned down. Still, Calypso's heart beat out her chest as she watched the minuscule shifts in his facial expressions, soaking up everything about him that made him… him. She still remembered the way she'd pretended that she'd hated him when returning the phone to Annabeth. It was simply in her nature to be a bit feisty, no matter how sweet she appeared on the outside, but she couldn't deny the millions of butterflies that fluttered in her stomach any time she passed the store, the way her heart soared every time he shot his infamous smirk at her, and that feeling she got every time she spoke with him, that feeling like time was slowing down just for them.

"Me either," Leo said, interrupting her thoughts and coaxing her out of daydreams. "So, about your car," he said sheepishly and rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly, "I can't fix it today, I've already got so many things lined up that I need to get to, but if you could fill out this slip for me I'll stick behind your windshields and maybe get a chance to look at it tomorrow," Leo offered.

Calypso groaned, "I still can't believe it broke down on me," she sighed, taking the piece of paper from his stained hands carefully. "But thank you, I appreciate it," Calypso gratefully expressed, hesitating as she filled out the paper with a blue pen when she came to the line for her phone number. Recording the digits across the line in her big loopy handwriting, she hastily yet nervously scrawled a smiley face next to it. Folding it once across and shoving it into his hands, Calypso tried to not think too much of it, not to ponder over the hundreds of thousands of ways he could interpret it, trying to cool her brain from working overtime. It was done, hopefully he would understand, hopefully he wouldn't leave her alone in the dark because she liked him, she liked him a whole lot, she liked him more than she cared to admit, but she didn't want to get hurt. She'd veiled her emotions for so long, she wasn't prepared to let down her guard so easily, but she didn't know how much longer she could she swim in circles like this, pretending with him, doing this stupid little dance, and not really knowing how he felt about anything. Were they even friends?

"I better get going," Calypso finally said, not wanting the silence to envelope the two of them completely, scared it wouldn't go how she wished.

"Eager to leave," Leo joked, if only to hide the flicker of dread that passed through his heart. He should've ask her to stay, he shouldn't have let her walk out that glass door, he should have done a lot of things, but Leo let her walk out the door, quietly denying even if he'd said it like it was a joke. Perhaps she was eager to leave him, he wouldn't be surprised. Who would?

Though part of her soul feels fixed when she left, Calypso made her way down the subway station stairs feeling a bit empty, hoping that he'd asked her to stay, asked her to hang out sometime, but he hadn't, and that was more than okay. Disguising her disappointment like she disguised everything else, Calypso descended and waited on the platform patiently, folding her hands seeing as the car had not arrived yet. Luckily for her, New York City never slept, always keeping busy, always moving on, and hopefully, at least for her sake, she would too.

 **A/N: I got a PM from a reader of mine recently (who will remain anonymous don't worry homie), who just binge-read all the chapters and was wondering if I was going to punish Luke for what he did to Annabeth a while ago, or Gabe, for what he does to Percy. Just thought I'd share my answer with ALL of you, in case anyone else is hoping for it too.**

 **In short, no, they will just continue to live their lives. Because that's just the harsh reality of the world. Rapists get off with no repercussions and many times, even twisted, sickening** _ **support.**_ **Abusers are not found out and their cruelty dies with the victim. I will not kill off neither Gabe nor Luke, and I will not punish them in any other way either. They made their choices. What our protagonists choose do about their unfortunate situations is what's up in the air, and is all that really matters in life~**

 **aaquater: If Dakota was the narrator, that would be the greatest plot twist I've pulled off in all of history. XD Yessss. I'm excited that you're looking for who it is XD, I was really hoping some of you would get really into this lol.** **But goddamn man. You just analyzed that whole thing better than I can in my fucking English class lmaoo. I'm glad you caught onto a lot of that! Not to mention, the time you took to freaking write that all out. It's very much appreciated, so thanks man! XP**

 **Anywayssssss that's it for now. Once again, my sincerest apologies for taking FOREVER. If I manage to get my head out of my ass, I will try and update sooner next time. :/ If any of you celebrate Thanksgiving, Happy Thanksgiving and if not, Happy Holidays anyways for whichever holiday you celebrate. I know Diwali just passed (my mother's fav holiday :P) as well as Halloween (my personal fav holiday), and there's more coming. As always, luv y'all and hope it's all good homies~**


	27. Growing Pains

**A/N: Hey guysssss. For the first scene things, told through the perspective of that "mystery" person, I just wanted to let y'all know that there's only 2 more of those left, not including this chapter's one (if I'm making any sense at all :P). Other than that, not much to say.**

 **Disclaimer: All rights remain. I also compare love to a nintendo game, which is an idea taken from a song- Nintendo Game by Alessia Cara. V good song, highly recommend listening to her latest album: The Pains Of Growing (which is also where this chapter title comes from.) :P Also, the short poem at the very end is by one of my all time favorite modern poets: Erin Hanson. I highly recommend checking her out as well~**

 _It's as if it all shifts in the blink of an eye._

 _With the Earth spinning its usual circles, we too grow up, destined to swim circles of our own. Soon enough, I'm slowly sinking in quicksand as well, choking out a puff of air under mountains of papers. I don't even realize when I've become like_ him, _I cannot even remember a life before this. No longer do I have time to allow the moon to caress me. No longer do I bathe under the sun's rays. No longer do I spend hours together soaking in her winter cool skin, silky night hair, and the stars dancing across her eyes._

 _One day I'm tracing the corners of her eyes and I wonder if the lines at the edges and the creases on her forehead have always been there or I dealt a hand in creating them. The next day it's go, go, go, going far away from the moment the sun flares up in the sky, claiming its rightful place, and it doesn't even matter anymore._

 _My commute is always long, but I spend time catching up on emails in that time. When I make my way home, long after the sun has already returned to its own home, she accuses me of coming back to her much too late. She tells me that if I love my phone and my work so much, why don't I just bother not coming back? I protest, reminding her I am already committed. And then she says it so easily that it actually makes me pause: 'to whom?' I don't say anything and walk away instead._

 _The next day it seems as though she's forgotten any of that occurred. I cannot disguise my gratefulness for her and do not wish to. Of course, the rare moment of peace is quickly demolished. We're arguing, acting like children, treating like love like a nintendo game, but nobody wins. It would be so easy to grow up, but we're both much too stubborn to ever exhibit such maturity._

 _Children often put their hands on one another, pushing, shoving, kicking, and only later do they learn to use their words. And then it happens. And then it separates from our lives, sucking us into a true childhood._

 _I hit her._

 _It's an accident._

 _Or is it?_

 _She doesn't leave me, she's never been like that, though she does have a tendency to make rash decisions. She won't with me. But she throws me out of her apartment. I leave, not even reluctantly. I made a mistake, but it was fatal. And that's when I begin to feel_ him _once more, but this time in me. I am him, he is me. I feel like my father and I have no doubt that up in her apartment she is empty, just like my mother was. She is stronger than my mother is, she has a strong will, and she will leave if she needs to without even blinking. But for now, she still stands by me, just from far away. We don't even take a break. I apologize a couple days after and she takes me back. But she has a distance around her now, like she's aware that I'm changing, like she was aware before even I was._

 _Something like resentment grows between us. We are no longer the same. She looks at me differently, and I look at her differently._

 _I begin to look at her like she was lightning, in that I never look at her except in frustration. I bask in her ability to drown out the thoughts of mortal men, sending droplets all the way from the heavens above for me to trace across the cool window glass, I complain when she was gone, but I never look. On days she was muted, I complain. On days she was stronger, I hid from her under the comfort of my own roof. I never looked at her until she was leaving, and in the dangerous beauty of the thunderstorm I wondered how I'd never seen her before._

* * *

The dark-haired boy turned and tossed, his mind evading a good night's sleep, as per usual. He couldn't get out of his own head, and often he found himself waking up in a cold sweat, horrified by what he'd seen, unable to forget, the memory burned into his brain for all of eternity.

Tonight was no different and Percy wasn't even sure why he was so surprised. Percy was haunted with images of the blonde beauty, his passed mother, his torturer, and futures he hoped would never come true. He jerked in his sleep, terrified by the vividity of the dreams.

He wasn't just afraid for the girl of his dreams, he harbored concern for Sally, for his own friends, for himself and it was making him sick. Before this, it had been nightmares of his mother on the floor, a beer bottle knocking her out cold as the glass shattered, scarring her soft skin. It had been dreams, the hopes he'd pushed back into his memory, spinning into nightmares. It had been images of a time where his mother was still standing next to him, shorter than him now, but just as beautiful inside and out as she was back when he was four years old… until a grown Percy accidentally said something. And then she vanished just like before. Even his dreams, Percy was not safe from his terror. It touched all.

It had been nightmares of his friends playing cards in his living room, trash covering every inch of the ground. Thalia would be dead in a corner, alcohol poisoning finally reaching her. Nico would be bruised up in a corner from trying to constrain an angry, drunk Percy. It had been nightmares of his hands around Gabe's thick neck, choking him like his subconscious really wanted to. Gabe would spit blood and then his head would roll back, but Percy wouldn't stop. He choked, and choked, and choked, long after Gabe was dead. It was never enough, it would never be enough.

They always ended the same way. His forehead creased in his restless sleep, muscles tensing in anticipation.

" _Percy," she said exasperatedly, but there was a glint of something playful in her eyes and Percy couldn't help the grin that spread across his face._

Normally, Percy would not be troubled by such a beautiful portrayal of her, but he knew what was coming, and he flinched.

 _Something that resembled horror passed over her face, marring the peaceful expression once on her face. A small gasp of shock escaped her mouth, her eyes glassing over painfully._

" _P-Percy." All she said was his name, but it felt like a plea for mercy. "I thought- y-you…" she sobbed terribly. To him, it was his version of nails against a chalkboard, in that he couldn't bear to hear for it felt as though it_ physically _caused him pain. She needn't complete that sentence; he already knew what she was going to say. '_ I thought you loved me.' But when she began to say it, the voice sounded less like Annabeth and more like Sally. Like how she'd sounded, pleading for her life and her young son's safety mere minutes before her life had ended.

She'd begged to Gabe and in her terror, had grabbed Percy by the collar, dragging him out the door gently but firmly as they made their way to the car. Her arm had been stained through with her own blood, a clean line cut across her forearm, a fresh mark from Gabe. She was leaving, albeit sobbing (from relief, fear, or a mixture of both, Percy figured he'd never know.) She was done with Gabe's bullshit and could not afford to endanger her son, but how was she to support them both? Sally refused to put her child up for adoption or give him away, but she wanted him to have the best life, a life apart from Gabe. Moments later, her blood pooled under her head when the aluminum crumpled like paper against another car, her eyes open and staring into the open sky as Percy, only a few years old, fell to his knees, shaking at a woman that was clearly gone.

 _Annabeth's tone was akin to that of his late mother's, moments before her death, and something in Percy steadied, almost as if he didn't care anymore. Her tears stained her skin and her shirt, but it was as if Percy couldn't even_ feel _anymore. All that remained were traces of rage. No sympathy, no understanding._

Had Percy not seen this dream thousands of times, he would have been utterly and completely lost. She had been nothing but a spitting image of a happy dandelion five minutes ago. And why was she so broken, why was she looking at him as if he was a monster? Percy grimaced, rolling uncomfortably in his sleep. He prayed to wake up in that moment, but knew he wouldn't wake until...

 _Percy backed away from her broken self and when he glanced down he could see it clear as day, the blade sparkling in his hand, coated in a dark substance. Blood. And not just any blood,_ her _blood. He didn't know how he knew, but he was sure._

The dream ended the same way every time.

 _Percy's eyes fixated on the blood gushing out of her abdomen. Her hands were painted the same hue of her wound, pressing into the injury in order to stem the flow. Annabeth coughed out, a shuddering, rattly gasp, and then red drops spit out of her mouth following that. Her face was pale and small, threads of black water tracing down her delicate face._

" _How could you," and to Percy it sounded a hell of a lot more like a statement than a question when it left her soul. Her eyes went wide as the blood pooled beneath her, her limbs going limp. Still, Percy stood there over her body, knife in hand, the knife of a murderer._

 _Annabeth was always one to see things as they were. She looked at him like a monster because he was. Percy felt invincible, watching uncharacteristically cruelly as, for the last time, the light left her eyes._

Every. Single. Time. And every time, Percy woke in a cold sweat, panting heavily, only to fall asleep the next night and watch it all happen again.

Again and again and again.

* * *

Calypso glanced down at her phone, the bright white screen illuminating her face.

"I've got to go," she announced. Piper lifted her head from her makeshift pillow- Annabeth's lap.

"So soon?" the brunette inquired with a childish pout. Annabeth stroked Piper's hair once more, effectively soothing her. The blonde reached out for the remote and paused the screen. The three of them had gathered to binge some terrible, staged tv, as per Piper's request. It had been Annabeth's idea to meet, seeing as none of them had hung out in a while just because, and not for some broken heart or some form of pain. Of course, she hadn't kept in mind Piper's poor television taste.

Annabeth had begrudgingly agreed to watch The Bachelor after some pleading from her best friend, much to all three of their amusement. Callie suspected that Annabeth secretly enjoyed The Bachelor, just a _little bit_ , despite her ongoing commentary through each episode. (The commentary didn't seem to be ceasing anytime soon, not even after all the pillow Piper had smacked into her face, leaving the couch bare, hence Annabeth becoming her new pillow.)

"Leo said my car would be done around 3. It's already 2:50, and it takes around 15 minutes to get there," Calypso reasoned.

"She's gotta go, Pipes. It's okay, it's not like she's missing much," Annabeth snorted, ever the snippy yet reasonable one.

Piper wrinkled her nose. "Fine," she relented slowly, sitting up on the couch and making her way to the front door of her penthouse. She swung the cream-colored door open casually. "Have fun with Leo," she couldn't resist a smirk. Annabeth was no better, a knowing look passing over her own face as well, as both girls shared a look.

"Oh my dear god. You guys are never going to let this go, are you?" Calypso groaned, slipping her small feet into her fur-lined boots. Though Piper was typically the most extravagant one of the three (Annabeth tended to stick to business attire all the time), and not to mention, the richest, Calypso had chosen to dress up her usually simple look just this once. But if anyone asked, she would deny all accusations that this had _anything_ to do with Leo.

"When are you guys getting married?" Piper snorted, only teasing but amused nonetheless by the hue of red Callie's face turned.

"Oh, hush you," she bloomed carnation pink. "See you both later!" Calypso stepped out the door, carelessly draping her white jacket around her in her haste to leave Piper's place. Hopefully, if she left quickly enough, she could spare herself more jokes from both Annabeth and Piper. God, they were the worst; she loved them.

Calypso made her way to the subway station, more hurried than she'd like to admit. Sue her for wanting to see someone that could, without fail, bring a smile to her face. It'd been a while since she'd ran into him, and besides, she was running out of things to break. Not to mention, she feared the Latino boy would catch onto her deliberate clumsiness and think her weird. But simultaneously, she was too much of a wuss to simply ask him out.

God, she hadn't felt like this in so long, not since high school most likely. Callie couldn't help but feel nostalgic and miss this. She missed these butterflies she'd loathed back in high school, she missed the way her heartbeat went wild, she missed the helpless blushes no matter how humiliating. Hell, she even missed the sweaty palms. She felt like a young schoolgirl with a secret crush, trying to keep her feelings hidden but at the same time wanting nothing more than for her crush to realize her feelings and make the first move. God, she was a hopeless romantic. And she was in too deep to get out now.

Calypso hopped off the car at her stop, fighting the sweet smile forming, but her face betrayed her. She bit her lip anxiously, grinning to herself. She reckoned the stiff New Yorkers she passed by, all working for somebody else, all stuck in their own molds, thought her to be a mad woman. Perhaps she was. But if this what it felt like to be out of her mind, she'd happily be crazy forever.

All the way up to the door of his shop, she'd had no doubts, no hesitation, but now she paused. What if he didn't have time to see her? What if he did have time, but didn't want to? What if…? Calypso could have stood there, contemplating all the alternate universes she could conjure up (what if aliens abducted her and Leo, the king of the aliens, decided to execute her?), but instead, she took a leap of faith and pushed open the heavy glass door. The bell above her jingled softly. She made her way to the front desk, patiently waiting for the familiar small boy. After the longest few minutes of her life, Leo, hands covered in their typical grime and black oil grease, made his way to the front of his shop.

"Calypso," he greeted, her name rolling off his tongue. Despite all the funny and sometimes inappropriate things that came out of his mouth, her name sounded different in his mouth. It was soft, not like when strangers said her name, not like the pronunciation of those who didn't know her, the ones that made her name hard and sharp like tin. The _p_ was gentler, more suited to Calypso's personality, the _s_ smooth, and the _c_ rounded out, not a tough sound. Callie decided she liked the way he said her name.

"Leo," she breathed out, with a sheepish grin. After all, she _was_ here for her fucked up car.

"I was wondering when you'd get here," he grinned, wiping his hands down with a nearby rag.

"You noticed I was late?" Calypso grimaced, glancing at the clock out of the corner of her eyes apologetically.

"Late?" Leo echoed, peering at the clock himself. "It's 3 already? Damn," he shook his head to himself, before returning his attention to the cinnamon-scented, lovely young woman in front of him. "I didn't even notice," he assured her. "I had just been looking forward to your arrival," Leo said without thinking, and immediately cringing afterwards. He would have blushed out of embarrassed had his skin tone permitted it.

"Oh good," her smile brightened noticeably. "You had me worried there for a second," Calypso grinned as well. "So…"

"...your car," Leo finished for her, with a small amused laugh. "I was just getting there. The good news is that I managed to fix it up, good as new." Calypso's smile widened. "The bad news," he continued, "I had to replace an entire part that was busted up and that's definitely going to make the price shoot up," he rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly.

"Dang," Calypso couldn't help but deflate a little. "That sucks," she said, but her tone was back to cheerful.

"Well. You took that better than I anticipated," Leo honestly admittedly.

Calypso laughed gently. "That car was on a path to destructions anyways," she waved away his comment. "At least it's fixed now. _And_ on top of that, I got to come and pester you," she teased kindly. This girl was going to be the death of Leo and he felt like he couldn't breathe. She was so lighthearted and pretty, and on occasion, she'd even sassed him back. What more could a guy ask for?

A small part of his brain urged him to ask her out already. But he wasn't sure if he'd be able to handle that kind of rejection, should she say no. Part of him continued to press on, relentless. _Just ask. What's the worst that could happen really? She wouldn't say no. Wuss._

Leo mentally cussed himself out. This shouldn't have been as hard it was, in fact, he was 99.9 percent sure he was simply making this harder for himself (which was 100 percent accurate).

Calypso could practically see his gears turning. _Go ahead,_ she wanted to urge, _ask me. I won't say no._ She bit her lip once more, wringing her delicate hands nervously- a bad habit of hers.

No matter how much he wanted to, Leo couldn't bring himself to ask. Frustrated with himself and planning to beat himself up for it later (he was positive he'd regret throwing away his shot later), Leo opened his mouth to excuse himself and inform her where the car was so she could pick it up. He was, however, quickly cut off by Calypso.

"Why won't you ask?" she cut him off, surprising herself along with Leo by the directness of her inquiry. Nonetheless, she plowed on, fully intending to get some sort of answer out of him. Did he not like her? Was he just plain afraid? Did he honestly think she'd say no? Had he not caught onto her more than obvious signs and failed attempts at smothering down her feelings? "Every time you go to ask me out, you always hesitate, give up, and change the topic," Calypso accused, heart breaking into a million pieces slowly and painfully. Her heart dropped in her chest; he didn't like her, that much was clear. How could she have been so naive? Why would he ever like her? He probably had a girlfriend already, with her luck, and she had simply been too blind to see this coming.

"I-I," Leo stuttered, though he never did. He always was prepared with some quick, witty response that drove her wild and made her so happy, she couldn't even begin to describe it if someone asked her to

"Do you not like me?" Calypso continued. "If you don't, you could have just said so, instead of leading me on for so long," she fought the level of upset she felt. She couldn't help it. It felt like some form of betrayal and it hurt, it hurt _so_ bad.

"Of course not!" Leo cut in, before she could continue.

Calypso physically jerked back. "Wow," she said dryly, fighting the tears that were sure to form any time soon now.

"No!" Leo waved his hands wildly, trying to explain. Calypso made her way to the door, but Leo stopped her, standing in front of her and the world outside. "You misunderstood me," he attempted, rushing with his words to get his point across before she could leave, before she could walk out that door forever and never come back. Leo would rather her leave after he explained and left him hurt than see her go before he got out everything he wanted to say. The latter would shatter him ten times more than the former, he was sure. And everyone already knew, it wasn't difficult to further break something already broken.

"I meant of course not I don't _not_ like you," he said confusingly. Calypso blinked; that was far too many double negatives. More like a triple negative. It didn't even matter, she got the gist. She wasn't wanted here. It stung, sure, but she wished he would just move out of the way so she could at least leave with whatever was left of her broken dignity.

"I meant," his hand hovered over her shoulder before awkwardly dropping to his side. "I meant of course I like you, how could I not?" Leo clarified, seeing that the pained expression on her face hadn't immediately cleared up like he'd expected and hoped it to.

"So why don't you ever ask?" Calypso softly asked, trying to be understanding. Now possessing the knowledge that he didn't intend to hurt her, she felt slightly calmer, and definitely more ready to listen.

"Because… because," Leo struggled with saying what he felt. He'd never been too good at this sort of thing. It was the same reason why he spent his days cooped up in his shop, caring for his machines delicately. Machines were simple, they could be fixed. Everything could be fixed, that was his philosophy. Broken part? Replace it. Creaky movements? Oil it. But what was he supposed to do when a human heart was shattering? He couldn't very well hot glue it together and call it a day.

"Because you deserve more than this," he gestured with his hands, words vague.

"Pardon?" Calypso asked after a moment of silence. And that moment of silence, it was enough to make everything Leo kept bottled inside unravel messily.

"Because I'm just a small, shabby mechanic. Because I dropped out of high school," Leo scowled, never quite meeting her eyes as he admitted his entire inferiority complex. "Because you're gorgeous, and intelligent, and witty, and kind, and funny, and too _pure_ for this world, and creative. Because you deserve _more_ than this," he said quickly, all in only one breath.

Calypso blinked. That was perhaps the most vulnerable thing she'd ever heard escape his lips. Leo was constantly joking around, never quite saying anything serious enough to be considered carefully or even thought about too much.

"I'm not good enough for you," he finished quietly, when she didn't say anything.

"Oh Leo," she whispered softly. "You're ridiculous," she shook her head at him, confusing him instead this time. "You're funny, sweet, down to earth, and wild. You make things a little more interesting than they would have been on their own. So no more crap about you being incompetent, okay? You're the most genius mechanic I've ever met and I've seen you build impressive structures out of paper clips, for god's sake. You're brilliant, and I can't believe you would think I'd say no. Only you would think you're not good enough to ask someone out," Calypso shook her head at him. From anyone else, it would have sounded insincere, but from Callie herself, Leo felt a sense of calm wash over him. Money, though important, titles, though important, none of it was a top priority for Calypso. That's just not the type of person she was. Happiness. Happiness was what she aspired to be when she was younger and happy she would become, even if that meant working a little bit harder each day to achieve that goal.

However, as much as Leo wished her words would magically strike him with courage, make him all suave, and boost his self-esteem, life wasn't a movie and this didn't mean his inferiority complex would simply vanish into thin air. But it felt like a promise, a promise for a better future, a vow for her to slowly and carefully put him back together, piece by piece, and that was enough for Leo, at least for now.

"So," Calypso began, considering his feelings the best she could. In order to help him loosen up a little and feel better about himself, she decided to suggest something a little more low key. "Would you be up for some coffee sometime? Just as friends," she assured him, hoping to ease him into what she hoped would be something beautiful.

Leo's anxiety seemed to lessen with her sweet words and amended proposal. He couldn't even begin to express his gratitude for her asking instead of him. One day he hoped to work his way up to that, but for today, this was enough.

"That sounds great," he managed a small smile.

"Saturday at 3? I'll come here and then we can take the Subway," she offered.

"Saturday at 3," Leo confirmed, watching as Calypso turned to make her way out the door.

"Oh wait," she quickly turned around, as if she'd forgotten something. But her purse was in her hand, Leo didn't understand what… _oh._ Calypso brushed her lips across his cheek quickly, turning and scurrying out the door before he could she the pink rise high on her cheeks. She disappeared into the busy New York streets, leaving Leo with a dreamy look on his face, his head spinning. He would be surprised if he managed not to hammer his own fingers later that day.

* * *

"I'm sorry," Piper finished, surprisingly not feeling any urge to burst into tears. She didn't need to cry; she was simply hollow like a vase. Jason couldn't meet her gaze and she suspected, though she felt empty as her choice of coping, that he would break down the second he walked out that door. Part of Piper was pleading, begging her not to let him go. She had put so much effort into this relationship, she loved him for god's sake, but she couldn't do this anymore.

She couldn't sit around and wait for him to realize he was Superman and that he could get any girl he wanted. She couldn't bear to watch him run to Reyna later on, only to leave her behind in the dust. She couldn't spend her time waiting for him to choose something, _anything_. Piper couldn't even remember the last time she'd been without a boyfriend, if she was being honest. It wasn't that she slept around, even though that was perfectly acceptable as long as she was safe, but she had spent her whole life being with someone.

Before Jason it had been a small town boy with green eyes and a knack for interior designing. And before that it had been, as much as it brought her shame, your typical bad boy musician: lazy, jobless, and a leech. Before him, it had been an adorable nerd, complete with the typical glasses and insane WPM. He'd worked for Google and was probably one of her more stable boyfriends. Her first boyfriend was back in Kindergarten, though she obviously didn't count that as a true relationship, and they'd shared a cubby together.

Part of her longed to realize what it felt like to be on her own, to sort through her issues before trying to sort through someone else's. Piper would never truly be alone; she had Annabeth, Calypso, her father, all her work friends, but it would definitely be a different experience for sure. Jason had been her rock through it all, maintaining her low self esteem, but keeping her going. Without her support, she feared she'd fall, but together, both broken beyond repair, she figured they were plummeting faster. Still, as she glanced up at the blue-eyed CEO of Thunderworks, she couldn't help as if perhaps she was making a fatal mistake. What if he ran to Reyna after this? What if he fell into a depressed state, or worse, killed himself? No, that would be ridiculous. Who would kill themselves over _her?_ She was just a small thing, nothing special in her own eyes, hardly worth a second glance.

"I'm sorry too," Jason said, breaking her away from her soul-crushing, mind-numbing train of thought. She'd explained to him why she didn't see herself as compatible with him any longer, but how could she explain her own insecurities? How could she be so vulnerable, leaving herself as an huge target for Open Season? And how could she be sure he'd understand? He could laugh in her face, and though she knew that was unlikely, how could she be certain she truly knew him? He could have been bitter, he could have been confused, betrayed, hurt, anything. Piper was not the dictator of human emotion. As he ducked out of her front door, Piper leaned against it, refusing to acknowledge the way his nose had turned pink like it did before he cried- something that she had rarely witnessed, perhaps only once. And now twice, because of her.

She knew she should have run after him, she knew it would have been cliche, trite, stupid, he may not have even accepted her once more, but she should have. Piper should have done many things, back when she was younger, and now, but she just felt so empty and she didn't care anymore. That's what scared her, she just _didn't care._ It was all slipping out of her fingertips and she couldn't even bring herself to shut the door after him until at least five minutes had passed. The brunette watched out the window in an uneasy silence, watching the April showers sprinkle down in the quiet night.

Perhaps she would buy a flower later. Piper could put it on her windowsill, nurture something else in place of her now ex-boyfriend, watch something grow alongside her.

Suddenly, her phone buzzed in her sweater pocket, snapping her out of her daydream- or nightmare. Piper peered down at her screen, watching as the notifications rolled in from Annabeth. News sure did travel fast, but perhaps she had been staring out the window for longer than she'd thought (she had been looking out the glass for over half an hour, but to her, it felt as though time hadn't passed at all and the emptiness of Jason's presence was still stronger than ever in her living room.) Piper wasn't the least bit surprised to know she'd been the first to know. Jason knew Annabeth well, and though they were supposed to be something like rivals, they practically acted like the same person half the time, and could have been mistaken for siblings.

 _Annie_ (10:48pm) _I just heard you broke up with Jason._

 _Annie_ (10:49pm) _He was sobbing over the phone._

 _Annie_ (10:49pm) _R u ok?_

 _Annie_ (10:51pm) _Want me to come over?_

 _Annie_ (11:02pm) _Piper?_

Piper watched the messages appear, leaving them on read, and only answering Annabeth once Calypso began texting her as well. She figured Annabeth had told her other sweet best friend. But for now, Piper wished for nothing more than to be left alone with her own thoughts.

 _Beauty Queen_ (11:11pm) _**no but ty**_

 _Annie_ (11:12pm) _Ok, ily. Feel better. I know it was hard, but I'm proud of u for doing what's best for urself. Gn_

 _Callie_ (11:14pm) _Hey, I just heard. I'm so sry, pipes. Ik he meant a lot to u. But on the bright side, we can spend some more time together. :) Wanna get ice cream tomorrow? Dessert for breakfast is always the best, and it's ur fav._

 _Callie_ (11:14pm) _If u want me to come over, u know i'll be there quicker than u can say 'come save me callie.'_

 _Callie_ (11:17pm) _Ily. 3_

 _Beauty Queen_ (11:25pm) _**K. tell annie too. Ily u too**_

He'd said he hadn't wanted to be friends, just friends. Piper sunk into a couch, tossing her phone in the corner, not even bothering to check incoming messages. Jason had said he couldn't be friends, not after all they'd been through. He'd been on the verge of breaking down right then and there. Piper felt a headache coming and knew that tomorrow morning would hurt more than tonight. She would simply have to brave it through.

As she soaked in her beautiful penthouse, gazing at the bright paintings and photographs of her and her longterm ex, Piper couldn't fight the loneliness. Part of her, she supposed, would always be with Jason. You couldn't just spend five years of your life with someone and expect to break away as the same person you were before. She had a long way to go, he had a long way to go, and a part of him would always be with her, no matter if she moved on to someone else, he would always be there, urging her on, being her rock.

Her phone fell silent after some time had passed and before she knew it, Piper had fallen asleep on the couch while watching the raindrops roll down the cool glass. The penthouse was beautiful, no doubt, but to her hardly of it even mattered anymore. Nothing would ever be the same again, and whether that was good was what was up in the air. Tomorrow would be a new day, and Piper knew it was a long shot, but maybe just maybe it would be better than before.

 _These walls and floors and windows,_

 _That we used to call a home,_

 _Are nothing but a prison cell,_

 _When I'm in this house alone._

 **A/N: Soooo that was that. I hope you guys liked the chapter in general; I'm very much aware that my chapters have gotten shorter and I'm really sorry about that, but I swear on the River Styx, I'm trying my best. In fact, I tried really hard to make this chapter a little longer to make up for it. Btw, the next chapter is going to be almost entirely Percabeth, so for all you hardcore Percabeth shippers, feel free to get excited lol.**

 **ohgods: Omfg. I'm so sorry, this is probably really random, but I remember I read one of your stories once, I think it was reviewed by Average Canadian (one of my fav authors :P) and so I'd found it, and it was insanely good. Fuck, what was it called… *casually stalks your profile.* SOMETHING, ANYTHING. Damn, I read that back in the beginning of April o.o Anyways, moving past my awkward fangirling, I just wanted to say I really liked your story lol. (Ignore my weirdness, please XD) And for whether it's Luke, that's the million dollar question, isn't it? ;)**

 **aaquater: Lmao mood. Shit, you're right XD, she was supposed to walk out of the office. My badddd lol- I was high off my ass from working into the wee hours on that chapter, I must've missed that detail~ Oh fuck, I wish I was that brilliant. So, er, yes of fucking course Leo was making fun of Gaea… shhhh XP Let's pretend I'm smarter than I really am lol. Ayyyy lesgo homie, that's precisely my point. I've always hated the idea that everyone is either inherently 'evil' or 'good.' Humans are too complicated for that bullshit.**

 **Wulfkin17: Lmfao, brick snacks, my favorite. Just in time for the holidays, too! XD 1 cup of mystery dude's saltiness, 1 teaspoon of his mother's lunacy, and 4 tablespoons of his abandonment issues. Perfect. Lemme know how it turns out, y'all!**

 **Alright, ma dudesss, that's it for this time. Until next time bitchessssss (I'm in such a weird mood; I'll let myself out now XD) Happy Holidays if y'all are into that type of ish. And ofc, Merry Christmas :P Ciao~**


	28. Not A Morning Person

**A/N: IMPORTANT: Hey y'all, I'm planning of starting a new story after this story is finished. And even though this story still has some ways to go, I wanted your opinions so I can work on it at the same time as this, hopefully having the first few chapters ready to post quickly as soon as this story is completed. I'm planning of writing a story about Percabeth that is loosely based off a few ideas from the Red Queen series, so I put a poll up on my profile and I'd really appreciate it if you'd take a minute to go and answer both of the questions on the poll. Thank you!**

 **NOT IMPORTANT lol: I'm like 99.9% sure I have a death wish. I wrote like 2 sentences after an hour one night. Then I didn't write for weeks. And then I came back, deleted the two sentences, and wrote this whole thing in one fucking night. And also didn't study for finals but whatevs lmao, I always wing that shit. No, I'm not crazy; my mother had me tested. :P (Big Bang Theory for da win).**

 **Disclaimer: All rights remain. I also compare mystery dude's mind to a mansion, and that's a reference to NF's Mansion song.**

 _She leaves._

 _And she does not hesitate like my mother had._

 _Even after all this time, I still remember her shockingly blue eyes not unlike my own that always seemed to pierce into my very soul, but softened when I stood close to her. I remember her choppy black hair, so soft between my fingers, contrasting wildly against her pale skin. I still sat around and reminisced, musing over the few freckles peppered over the bridge of her nose, the way her pink lips turned down in a scowl/resting bitch face. I still recall her always cocked, one lamp black eyebrow over the other, never accepting anyone's bullshit. She was never one to bury what she really thought. Sometimes it was a blessing, sometimes a curse like all things in life are._

 _I still remember the way she smiled, always hiding it by looking the other way. But a muscle in her cheek always twitched, her lips fighting her emotions until she finally relented, letting loose a childish laugh. I haven't heard that laugh since I took it away. And then I haven't seen that smile since she'd vanished, taking it with her._

 _She had luggage of her own, I knew, she could not bear to carry my weights as well. But my own past only got heavier and heavier. Funny how my biggest fears became my reality. I am reminded of a father I never had, and though I have tried, I cannot stuff a girl into a father-shaped void._

 _Her back disappearing from the door, her eyes haunting my thoughts, she mirrored my father, gone like the wind. And so did I; my father was cruel, a man overridden with whatever drug consumed his mind. I hated that I was becoming a spitting image of him. I hated that my mother never chose to leave. She should have, she was too beautiful for my father's pain. After all, my own blue-eyed girl hadn't hesitated once I'd turned into the man I promised I'd never become._

 _But I should've known that nothing is permanent. I cannot stuff her into any defined space; she has always been to wild, and I love that about her. Love, never loved. I will never stop loving her, I know this more than anything else in the world. I promised, I promised I would be different, yet here I am. My prey may have changed to a girl with golden curls, but the result was the same._

 _I remember standing there at the mere age of five, watching my father's hand turn on the one he promised he'd loved. I had learned right then and there that his promises meant nothing. But I would be different, I was determined to keep my word. And now, all grown, I'd broken it more times than I could possibly imagine to count. I'd turned his own hand, against the girl I'd loved, I'd turned into a monster._

 _I remember standing there at the mere age of seven, watching my father walk out that door, still addicted to whatever was more important than my mother. I remember my mother going crazy, her eyes spinning, searching for a boy, seeing her husband in her son. I swore to her so many times, I'd never become like that. But here I was and everyone was gone. My father was long gone and dead. Even if he were alive, I wouldn't want him anyway. My mother was certifiably insane, so I avoided her at all costs. I love her dearly, but I was afraid she would see him, that shell of a man, the man I called my father in my own eyes. And if she flinched away, horrified by who I'd become, I didn't think I'd be able to stand it._

 _I want to scream from the unfairness of it all. He used to put me in a corner, simply to see the fear in my ears, so he could relish in my pain. I seethe silently to myself, the stun slowly wearing off, the pain numbing my senses at the emptiness of her presence._ Congratulations, _I want to spit at him._ Congratulations, you'll always have a room in my mind. _And the room I'd tried so hard to keep shut, the door had found a way open, the wind blowing in and tragically freezing me all over. My mind is a house I'm trapped in._

 _And it's lonely inside this mansion._

* * *

 _Will he stop fucking tapping his foot like that?_

Annabeth blew a strand of her blonde hair out of her face, thoroughly frustrated with the dark-haired man across the room from her. She didn't mean to allow him the pleasure of infuriating her, but she was naturally short-tempered and easily-irritated.

 _It should be a sin to have such beautiful eyes._

Despite her frustration, she couldn't help but to admire the way he looked when he thought nobody was watching. If only he hadn't had such a beautiful heart, she might have been able to stay away. Annabeth hadn't spoken to him in over a week, regardless of his apology. It wasn't that she hadn't _tried,_ of fucking course she had. But he was just so stupidly stubborn, like her and she'd be damned if he made her beg.

So yes, she was… _sortacreepilystalkinghim_. She knew it was wrong and she wasn't _actually_ following him around everywhere like a ditsy little lover, but at the very least, Annabeth felt the desperation in her consuming her every fiber, pleading fucking pleading for an explanation. He'd apologized, she'd accepted it, she'd apologized in her own quiet way without baring her vulnerability to him or verbally destroying her pride, so like the fucking idiot she was, she'd thought it was all over.

The pain, the suffering, the games, the separation that was just so unbearable. How delusional she must have been, how wrong was she.

"Stop it!" the feisty blonde demanded all at once, her annoyance tearing her apart from her own thoughts. Surely Percy's bad habits wasn't stronger than the thoughts of mortal women?

The green-eyed boy, clearly startled, snapped his head up to meet her gaze. He mouthed her name to himself, almost as if he couldn't believe it and Annabeth pondered to herself how it would sound to hear him whisper her name in her ear, of course chiding herself immediately after the sinful thought.

"Honestly!" she huffed, refusing to admit to herself that she was a tsundere little bitch. "You have got to quit your twitching; it's distracting!" she chastised him. Over the years, she had perfected her poker face and unless you were Percy Jackson, that bastard- how dare he know her better than she knew herself, you would not be able to detect the slightest shift in her emotions.

"Chase," he mumbled finally, her name falling from his lips- it was truly unfair how glorious his pink, full lips were- like one would drop the name of a fallen angel, with such remorse.

"Yes, that's me," she impatiently remarked. If he hadn't known better (but he did), Percy would have thought she sounded almost… hurt.

"What's wrong?" he couldn't stop himself from asking. Annabeth seemed taken aback by the inquiry and her face hardened. He mistook it for anger.

"I could ask you the same thing," there was something in her tone, something unreadable to him.

"Excuse me?" Percy's eyebrows scrunched together in confusion.

Her expression only pinched tighter and she waved her hands around in exasperation and frustration. _This was a mistake._ It didn't matter how many people were in this room, it felt like the rest of the world was blurred in the background, like in a professional and expensive photograph. _This was a mistake; he can probably read me like a book. How stupid can you possibly be?_

"You apologized," she said messily. "You gave me strawberries," her words were messy, her voice cracking if only slightly. "So what's wrong? Why won't you talk to me?" Annabeth surprised herself with the directness of her own words. So bold, so unlike her.

Percy sighed, looking upon her with realization. "You want the truth, truly?" he asked, his voice raising at the end of the question almost as if he were afraid she'd say no, that she'd say she was done, that this was over, that he'd missed his chance. Annabeth slowly, yet dutifully nodded. His face was so sad, so exhausted; it tugged at her curiosity.

"Thalia," he said suddenly, praying she would not interrupt until he was finished. She deserved an explanation at the very least. He would not blame Thalia for his issues, he would not blame his friend for looking out for him. "And Nico, they are two of my friends," he amended, adding a wonderful description of them both. "They mean everything to me," Percy could not disguise his surprise at his own declaration. He loved them, he really did.

"Thalia… she's a tough chick, but she's been through a lot of shit." Annabeth sat silently, listening intently, not daring to interrupt as his gaze fixated on the wall behind her, lost in his own memories. "She knows what corporate people are like," he said it so simply but it made Annabeth flinch. It pained him to say to her fucking face, but he would not sugarcoat it nor phrase it any other way. Percy did not apologize for his statement, not that she would have wished him to; the sad expression on his face, the way he softly expressed what he felt, she would not have heard an apology even if he'd begged. Let him continue with his words, let him take her someplace other than the cruel world with his velvety, satin voice. He spoke for some time, never quite meeting her eyes, ashamedly though he had nothing to shame himself for. That was just the way Perseus was, Annabeth supposed.

When he ran out of steam, it was Annabeth's turn to take a deep breath. "I'm sorry," she began, causing him to look at her for the first time since he'd began talking. "You shouldn't have to choose." He shouldn't be forced to choose between his friends and her, so the thought makes her feel sick. It took all her energy to display her weakness so easily, to apologize and look him in the eye. Annabeth couldn't help but feel like shit and Percy wanted to agree, wanted to say that he could never choose, it was a cruel suggestion in the first place, even if it was implanted by Thalia. He could not, _would not_ lose the lioness in front of him, but he would not dare to leave behind those who had been with him from the beginning. Not his dark, small Nico, not his fiery, angry, but sisterly Thalia. He would not abandon his only family for a girl.

His mind wanted to argue with that logic. _She wasn't just another girl._ But how well did he truly know her? Percy did not agree with the statement because he knew, he fucking _knows_ that if he agreed now, Annabeth would walk out the door and leave him forever. He would never see her again and the thought of that was almost more unbearable than this entire fucking depressing and awkward conversation.

So he disagreed, "maybe," was all Percy said, albeit softly. Self restraint was a funny thing. He had no control when it came to her, but he was wary. He could not avoid her anymore, but all he wanted to do was hide when her intense grey eyes fell on his. Pride was a funny thing. She had no control when it came to him, but she would never apologize to him, not if her life depended on it. She could not avoid her feelings anymore, but all she wanted to do was hide in her office and ignore confrontation.

They sat in silence for a while, watching people together, watching as beautiful beings fought and loved and hurt and finally healed. Love was the funniest of them all. Funny how it hurt. Funny how it healed. Funny how it wasn't funny at all when the game was between the two of them.

* * *

Annabeth's knuckles softly rapped against the wooden door. As she waited for him to open the door, she gently scrunched up her curls, trying to fix her hair. Just at that moment, the maroon-colored door swung open, revealing the taller young man. She fixed her grey eyes on him, soaking in his long, curly lashes, that even women would be jealous of, casting fine shadows on his cheekbones, his tousled dark hair, his piercing sea green eyes that would have any other normal person weak at the knees. She hadn't seen him since two days ago, when he'd openly admitted his friends' opinions of her. It could be awkward, in fact, Annabeth was starting to regret showing up, but a smirk made its way onto his face and she suddenly knew it would be just fine.

"Fixing your hair for me? I'm flattered," Percy raised an eyebrow at her. Annabeth scowled darkly at him and hastily snatched her hand away from her hair.

"The stupid paparazzi outside frizzed it up a little, that's all," she rolled her eyes. At that, Percy frowned as well, gesturing for her to come in and softly shutting the door behind her.

"For god's sake," he muttered to himself. "I was really hoping they wouldn't find me," he groaned and looked to Annabeth, who simply shrugged.

"You're a big deal to the press, of course they're going to lose their pea-sized brains when they discovered you've moved."

This time Percy shrugged," I guess. Did they rustle you up too much?" No, he wasn't _concerned about her,_ that'd be ridiculous, he was just a LITTLE bit worried. The paps could get rough, the flashing cameras enough to blind any normal person and Annabeth too was a big deal, okay? However, Annabeth could read through his facade easily, as if was child's play. She didn't bother to tease him, only nodding and then scanning his apartment in mild amusement.

"You haven't unpacked at all," she teased, looking at the path he'd cleared of messy boxes.

"Seriously? You're the first person to come into the new apartment and the first thing you do is comment on my messy apartment?" Percy folded his arms over his chest, failing to fight a smile because that was _such_ an Annabeth thing to do, he could hardly bear it. The blonde was too occupied, however, caught on the most important words in that sentence: _you're the first person to come into the new apartment._ She was strangely honored.

"Well," she inspected the apartment, peering out the windows at the gorgeous view of New York City. It had a modern touch to it and she knew it must have been expensive as hell, only reminding her that Percy was a big celebrity. Sometimes she forgot due to his down-to-earth nature, and at that point she was no longer even truly looking at the apartment, something she was positive Percy could tell. There was just little voice hanging over her head, reminding her that _Gabe can't hurt him anymore, he's safe now._ It was causing the slight awkwardness between them because they just wanted to scream it to each other, but they were afraid to create another vulnerable moment between themselves.

"It's not too bad," Annabeth finished after a silence long enough to make her skin crawl. She began gushing about the structure of the kitchen island and which bar stools would match the design best, and the crown molding, and a million other architectural things because Jesus fucking Christ, she was such a geek for this kind of thing and it was _so_ hard to contain her excitement.

Percy just stared at her once she'd finished. "Nerd," he said and snorted, trying to mask his fondness for her randomly spouted facts. Perhaps she'd like to help him decorate the apartment.

"Idiot," she playfully replied with a hint of hesitance.

"You wound me so," Percy dramatically put his hand over his heart, feigning hurt. Annabeth simply rolled her eyes but he evoked a tiny smile out of her anyways. She silently gazed at his apartment for some more time, the silence enveloping them once more and the awkwardness returning, a younger brother that embarrassed them both and was constantly in their space, lingering when they simply wanted it to be the two of them.

"You down for Thai?" Percy suggested and Annabeth had never before heard anything more intelligible come out of his mouth.

"I love Thai," she agreed and let him take her coat, draping it over the kitchen counter. Fifteen minutes later, a scruffy teenage boy had dropped off takeout, and Percy had tipped him extra for the stupid paparazzi. And twenty minutes later, all awkwardness forgotten, they'd gone back to their usual acquaintanceship, laughing over stupid things, playful insults woven into their conversation.

Annabeth snorted into her glass of white wine, her favorite, before taking a sip. Only Percy wouldn't be able to find a damn spoon so now they were eating rice with plastic forks, but was able to locate wine glasses in his mess of boxes.

"You're so fucking stupid," she laughed adoringly, pursing her lips as she smothered down another grin.

"I'm serious, my face was like- it was tattooed on her bicep!" Percy laughed when she did; she was simply contagious like that. "I didn't know if I should've been flattered or creeped out!" As he recounted his stories of insane fans, Annabeth couldn't decide if his amused, yet horrified expression was more adorable or more hilarious. She supposed it was equally both.

As Annabeth burst out into another fit of giggles, probably from imagining the scenario for the nth time, Percy couldn't help but notice that his hand felt oddly shaky. He tried not to frown, but he'd only had a few sips. _Please not now. I just want to be normal._ He carefully put the glass down on the counter, his irrational fear nagging in the back of his mind. Drinking made him feel afraid these days, out of control, and he could imagine a world where he accidentally hurt someone, particularly Annabeth. It was irrational, he knew, but that refrain his hand from shaking like he had smoked too many blunts of weed or chugged four cans of an energy drink. Fortunately for him, Annabeth was too slap-happy tired to notice his sudden loss of appetite for the alcohol. Instead, time continued to pass, Annabeth telling tales of her own crazy experiences with idiotic, rich businessmen and women at those stupid parties, and despite not touching the alcohol at all, Percy found himself enjoying himself more than ever, probably even more because his hand had ceased to quiver.

After a few hours and probably too many glasses of wine for Annabeth, she leaned back in her seat and crossed her arms over her chest, gazing at Percy thoughtfully.

Percy would have been lying if he said a tipsy Annabeth wasn't the _slightest_ bit amusing. Sometimes she had blurted out something she probably she shouldn't have, then hastily covered her mouth with her hands and _oh my dear lord, Perce, please don't tell anyone I said that_ or _oh fuck, I didn't mean to say that OUT LOUD._ He couldn't help but wonder since when she'd been calling him _Perce_ and for how long had she had that shallow dimple on her right cheek, and he wasn't even drunk but he wanted nothing more than to hold her tight to his chest.

Eventually, the blonde was worn out from all the drinking and the talking, and Percy looked so _so_ good, she just wanted to kiss him. Of course, Percy wouldn't let that happen, though in any other situation he would've pushed her up the wall and kissed her until she couldn't even think. It took all of his strength to push her away from him, to stay away from her enticing pink lips. Because she wasn't completely sober and he wouldn't take advantage of her like that, _never ever ever._

Instead, Percy guided her to the bed with his hand on the small of her back so she wouldn't trip over any of his boxes. He gave her one of his old t-shirts and a pair of boxers, tucking her in despite her protests that she should go home, despite her protests that acquaintances didn't do that. He went and cleaned up the kitchen, cleaning both glasses and trashing the plastic, paper, and styrofoam takeout wrappings and utensils. By the time he was standing back in his room, Annabeth was fast asleep, somehow looking better in his clothes than he ever had, at least, in his opinion.

In the _non-creepiest_ way possible, Percy watched her sleep for a minute, before slipping on flannel pants, not bothering with a shirt, and climbing into the bed next to her. He obviously kept his distance, respecting her privacy, letting the experiences of the night wash through his brain. Before he drifted off into yet another endless uneasy sleep, he couldn't help but glance at Annabeth once more because waking up to her wild blonde curls and falling asleep to her sweet painted smile wasn't as bad as he might've once thought.

Percy remembered back to the beginning when Thalia and Nico had warned him, and he knew it was almost funny, funny how everything he'd told himself to stay away from had suddenly became all he'd ever wanted to fall for.

* * *

 _Beep. Beep. Beep beep. BeEP. BEEP._

The screeching alarm clock went off, speeding up and increasing in volume, neither Percy nor Annabeth making any attempt to shut it off.

"Shut it up, oh my god," Annabeth groaned out finally, flipping over, clearly irritated, her eyes squeezed shut together tightly. She clamped the pillow over her ears, grumbling a few other choice words at the green-eyed boy. It wasn't hard to see that Annabeth wasn't a morning person _at all,_ especially on the weekends.

Despite the fact that Percy already had a built-in, body alarm clock, he still kept his prepared to keep him from oversleeping. In comparison to the blonde beauty next to him, he woke early every day, never truly getting a good night's rest anyways (nightmares plagued him every time). Today, however, he hadn't woke up prior to the alarm, Annabeth's presence unknowingly warding the evil thoughts away from his mind. That had truthfully been one of the best nights of sleep he'd had in a while.

Percy cursed at Annabeth's complaining, cracking his bleary eyes open and squinting as the morning sunlight peeking through the windows temporarily caused him to lose sight. Blindly searching his nightstand (and probably making a mess) with his hand, Percy cursed again, sighing in relief when his hand closed around the familiar black alarm clock. He smacked the small round button on top of it, silencing the clock from hell once and for all.

"Fucking hell," he groaned, sitting up properly as his vision adjusted to the light. All of a sudden, Percy nearly toppled over at a spontaneous impact. "What the hell?" he couldn't help but laugh once he realized Annabeth had whacked him with the pillow. He peered over the bed at her scowling in her sleep.

"Shut the fuck up, Jackson," she ordered grumpily. He only laughed harder, incensing her more and earning him a few more whacks to his torso, the last one even nailing him in the fast. "You better have a good reason for waking me up at this _ungodly_ hour of the morning," Annabeth accused, still cozied up in his bed.

Percy snorted. "It's already nine in the morning, Chase." That Annabeth, dramatic as always. He loved it.

"Nine?!" she shoved him, not hard enough for him to fall off the bed, but enough to make him start laughing at her distress once more. "I'm gonna kill you," she muttered softly. His eyes twinkled in amusement and he couldn't help but think she looked adorable in the morning. Her curls, now slightly frizzy, splayed all over the pillow like a golden halo made it hard for him to fear her empty threat. He ran his fingers through her hair almost subconsciously, but he managed to stop himself from kissing her forehead because _no, he's not her boyfriend._

"It takes beauty sleep to look this badass every day," Annabeth mumbled under her breath tiredly, and Percy chuckled to himself.

"That you are," he softly whispered to himself. And fuck, because he was in deep and he damn well knew it. "How about some coffee?" he said gently, unable to wipe the smile off his face as he attempted to coax Annabeth out of bed. At the mention of steaming hot coffee, she slowly cracked one gorgeous grey eye open and squinted at him.

"And what else?" he smirked. Annabeth was one hundred percent a child inside and he'd fight anyone who said otherwise. "Eggs?" Percy suggested. She wrinkled her nose, so he took that as a no. "Bagel?" Annabeth appeared thoughtful. "Pancakes?" he tried again. A sweet smile enveloped her face, against her will. "You want pancakes," he decided with a grin, evoking her to open both eyes and look up at him. He stood up and stretched, looking down at her smugly. His hair was sticking up every which way but still he was the best thing she laid eyes on. Annabeth couldn't help but check him out, propping herself up on her elbow. Percy dug around for the kitchen supplies in the millions of cardboard boxes that littered the entire apartment floor.

"You drool in your sleep," she said suddenly, causing him to freeze. He slowly turned to look at her, rolling his eyes and a blue bowl in one hand.

"I do not," Percy retorted as dignified as he could.

"You do," she snickered, tilting her head at him, piled under the blankets. "It's adorable," Annabeth snorted.

"I am not adorable," Percy scoffed. "I am a man, therefore no part of me is _cute._ "

"Sure," the grey-eyed girl teased, a playful lilt in her voice. A smile tugged at the corners of her mouth and at his heartstrings.

Still he insisted he wasn't an adorable puppy. "I'm not cute, I'm hot," he informed her cockily with his signature smirk dancing across his lips and then it was her turn to roll her eyes.

"In your dreams," she replied sassily as Percy reached for a spatula and a pan.

"Maybe in _yours_ ," he said pointedly, an infuriating yet somehow endearing smirk causing her heart to stutter. "Acting like you weren't checking me out two seconds ago," he coughed the last part out to muffle his laugh when Annabeth's cheeks turned bright pink. She could've convinced someone they were painted. "There's new toothbrushes in the box near the nightstand." With that, Percy walked out of the bedroom to brush his teeth and make breakfast, leaving Annabeth to drown in her embarrassment.

"Was not," he heard a shy comment before he walked out, making him shake his head to himself; her and her pride.

He felt giddy, like a young child, something he hadn't felt since well… since his mother had been alive. It kind of slapped him upside the head, how _excited_ he felt. Percy was spinning around the kitchen, humming to himself as he prepared Sally's pancake recipe. Even pancakes weren't something he'd had in at least a few years. They reminded him of the good times and some days he just couldn't eat them without feeling that horrible empty feeling inside, that alert that his mother hadn't made them, that she wasn't there to ruffle his hair and hold him close.

But eating them with Annabeth, it felt different. It felt noticeably better and maybe it was a naive hopeful thought, but maybe things would get better from here.

After around five minutes, she was minty fresh and starving of course. The scent of pancakes wafted through the air, only heightening her hunger. Padding softly across the hardwood, she curiously peered over his shoulder in search of the coffee maker. Annabeth followed her nose in search of the necessary beverage. Percy poured them two cups of coffee, one completely black just like how he knew Annabeth liked hers and one with some sugar and cream for himself. Well technically, he'd poured them in cerulean bowls, unable to find the mugs.

"Who knew Annabeth Chase's weakness was caffeine?" he mused as he handed her the bowl. Her eyebrows pinched down, but still tired, she couldn't conjure up one of her typical witty retorts. Instead, she darkly glared at him and delivered a classic _shut up._

He shut off the stove and sat down at round wooden table across from Annabeth, sipping coffee from his own bowl. "I don't understand how you drink that," Percy admitted, scrunching his nose at her black coffee.

"It's better than a mouthful of sugar," Annabeth gave him a pointed look, glancing down at his sweetener-filled bowl of caffeine _because if I'm going to drink it, I might as well enjoy it, Miss Chase._ He was ridiculous, this was all ridiculous, she shouldn't even _be here._ His green eyes locked on hers with a small childish grin and her heart melted. There was no other place she'd rather be.

Percy set two plates of pancakes before the both of them. Annabeth slowly pulled away from her bowl to stare at the breakfast in confusion and slight amusement. When Percy continued to drink his coffee, completely unbothered, she decided to ask.

"Okay, I'll bite," she began, catching Percy's attention. "Why are they blue?" her eyebrows furrowed together and Percy just wanted to kiss her senseless.

"My mom," he said instead, wisely choosing to suffocate her with his devotion some other time. Annabeth looked at him carefully, patiently waiting for him to elaborate. "Gabe was kinda controlling," Percy said softly, thinking before he spoke and immediately Annabeth felt a hot ball of anger roar inside of her. Just the mention of his name infuriated her. What she wouldn't do to give that asshole hell, but deep down, she knew it was Percy's fight, not hers. And no amount of frustration could change that. "My mom, she began to make blue food to quietly contradict Gabe's harsh statements, and it felt like, if blue food could be real, anything was possible," he finished simply. Annabeth was quiet, pondering upon this for a moment, noticing the faraway look he got in his eyes when Percy spoke of his mother. She wished she could've met Sally. Percy seemed so human then and Annabeth couldn't help but note the vulnerability etched across his face.

"Well," she begun, hoping to lighten the mood. "They're pretty," she said with a small smile, Percy slowly reciprocating with a tiny smile of his own. He reached for the bottle of syrup, practically drowning his pancakes in the thick, sugary liquid. Annabeth watched with disdain.

"Seriously?" she shook her head at him. "The syrup probably washed out all your brain cells."

"Hey! I have like _two_ brain cells left," he objected, eyes shining anyways as if she'd complimented him instead of simply calling him an idiot. "And besides, my pancakes can't drown and neither can I."

Annabeth laughed, a musical bubbly sound, as she reached for the syrup bottle herself. "Wow, two whole brain cells," she teased, lightly and delicately drizzling a small bit of syrup on top of the fresh pancakes. "Quite the swimmer, are we?" she inquired at his last statement, picking up on his hint; she was the only one who understood his little remarks like that. Of course, she already knew the answer to that, recalling their little aquarium, dolphin-diving rendezvous. That, however, felt like another lifetime ago. She listened intently as he babbled over the ocean and how much he loved it, ever since he was little and ' _Beth listen, this part is so funny._ She absentmindedly wondered since when had he begun to call her ' _Beth_ and she pondered over his bright face, thinking to herself that she'd never seen him like this. Not truly.

Annabeth couldn't help but think that this was the real Percy, the boy who made her pancakes and loved his mom, who knew the little things like how she took her coffee or what foods she ate depending on her emotions, who liked to sing and swam like an Olympian, who got this little gold fleck in his sea green eyes when spoke about something he was passionate about, who brought her strawberries as an apology and let her eat in peace, who stood up for her when Andrew came to harass her, who hung out with Thalia and Nico, his closest friends, because he would never let the industry and Hollywood change him.

No matter what anybody said about him, Annabeth wouldn't believe them, because she was convinced this was the real him, not the overly flirty, snippy asshole she'd first met. And maybe his pancakes couldn't drown, but Annabeth was beginning to think that drowning in _him_ was the best mistake she ever made.

 **A/N: To be fair, I said it would all be mostly Percabeth, not that it would be _happy_ Percabeth. BUT- it did end pretty sweetly in the end, so I should get credit for that. (Lmao y'all can't even trust me; you know dat happiness shit ain't gon' last for long XD)**

 **Anyways, hope you liked that ish. It killed my soul (oh wait, what soul lol) *aHeM* it killed my NONEXISTENT soul to write such happiness at the end, but I managed to write some fluff for all you fangirlz and fanboyz. I hope that satisfied your need for nice Percabeth cuz shit's about to go south real fast.**

 **I mean- whaaaaaat, Percy and Beth are so happy, and then they lived happily ever after. sIKE, y'all thought... This ain't no Disney ish, shit's about to get fun real soon. Not between Percabeth directly, but between a friendship we all know and love, which might affect Percabeth a little bit ;)**

 **intense ukulele: I never wanted either of them to be polite. In fact, I was hoping they both, even if mostly Athena, would be sorta asshole-y. I feel like it suits their personalities. EQ is definitely a big deal for _both_ of them. But your little outburst about Athena was quite amusing and made me smile (even though it might because I'm a hallucinating idiot rn but I digress) so thank you haha. I mean… when you really think about it, we're all slowly dying. I'm just kidding. (Sorta.) I have a dark sense of humor, so my apologies for my delusional rambling; I have ZERO filter right now. :P**

 **aaquater: I did indeed try to connect all three scenes with a theme, so I'm glad you caught that. I actually try to do that often, but usually fail as you can see~ I guess we'll just have to see how our protagonists fight their inner demons. Not all will be able to overcome them and it will be a slow, cumbersome process, but it will be worth it to them all in the end. I have always believed that some of the biggest villains in a story should be internal conflict. No one can hurt you more than yourself, at least, that's always been _my_ experience with pain. Spare me the mastermind, though their dark personalities are intriguing (let's be real; everyone loves a sexy, crazy antagonist), and show me the deep-seated, psychological trauma. The true scars are not the ones we bare on our skin, but the ones we bury deep inside. (Holy fuck, I've been reading too much poetry lately)**

 **If my author's notes sound like I'm high, ̶i̶t̶'̶s̶ ̶b̶e̶c̶a̶u̶s̶e̶ ̶I̶ ̶a̶m̶ (jk don't do drugz kidz). It's because I'm functioning off adrenaline, those energy drinks that are shit for your health but taste like ambrosia (*cough* RedBull *cough*), it's 5am, and I haven't slept in three days (not including the fact that right _now_ it's 5am, meaning I've pulled yet ANOTHER all nighter. So I guess, technically 4 days.) God, I need help. (I should probably wait until later today to post this, just to make sure not _everything_ I say sounds super bitchy lol)**

 **Please go answer my poll if you haven't yet; I really don't wanna put effort into something if none of you guys are going to enjoy it and I'd rather come up with a new story idea in that case. Bye y'all and Happy (Very, _Very_ Belated) New Year~**


	29. Storms Don't Last Forever

**A/N: That moment when you finish the most angsty book series ever for the first time and there's a happy ending and just- *sobs***

 _ **i'M fInE gUyS**_

 **Disclaimer: All rights remain. Also, "in my head" by Ariana Grande helped me write part of the first scene. I honestly don't know why lol: I'm not really big on modern pop, but thx ig Ari. :P**

 _I don't know why I chose her._

 _I don't know why I chose Annabeth. She was stuck-up, sure, prideful, bossy at times, and I'd always felt like she thought she was entitled to something, but she was a decent person. She could be cunning, but never cruel. Ambitious, but never an asshole. Annabeth was not like her, not like my blue-eyed, black-haired girl. She had golden curls, steel grey eyes, and a false smile, but she held the same spirit my blue-eyed beauty had._

 _So I suppose, part of me was attracted to her, but not like I had once been with the girl who had walked out on me forever. (It's hard to acknowledge that walking out on me was probably the best decision she ever made for herself. If only my mother had been just as brave.) I guess I wanted a replacement, I guess I don't really know what I wanted. That, what once was a long time ago, had been love. And revenge had no place in matters of the heart. I was playing with fire._

 _I don't know why I hadn't stopped. She'd asked me to, I swore I'd heard her ask me to, but maybe it was because I saw the way that boy looked at her. The way that boy with green eyes looked at her and then at me, like he knew exactly who I was,_ how _I was, like he knew exactly how fucked up I was and knew he was no better. But still he would look at her like she was his responsibility, like he knew I was going to mess it all up, and he'd be damned if he let anything happen to her. I can't help but remember that that's_ exactly _how I looked at_ her _a lifetime ago._

 _I've always wanted what I could never have: I hadn't seen the fear in her grey eyes until I'd gone too far. I wished I could blame it on the monster in me or the alcohol, but I was slightly aware, I remember. Now I felt guilt, crashing into me in waves of pain. I suppose, I deserved the pain. Annabeth and I, we had been friends in the beginning, and she had never truly refused my prior advances, just never acknowledged them. I was blind to the fact that the past was not going to be the same as the present. It's no surprise that Annabeth dodged my touch like_ she _had once left._

 _I remember it all too well, like it was yesterday. It haunts my dreams:_

 _She's accusing me of being devoted to my work and nothing else, she's accusing me of morphing into a controlling, abusive freak, she's telling me she's still in love with the idea of me but she was too focused on my potential and not who I truly was, that she'd seen my potential without seeing credentials. She's telling me that she had gotten in the habit of seeing goodness that wasn't there, that the young man she had fallen for a version of me that was nothing more than a figment of her imagination. And it stings more than I'd like it to._

 _Her eyes aren't nearly as blue as they always are, toned down, her anger quickly dissipating. She isn't truly furious anymore, simply empty and something inside of her is breaking as I watch, frozen in horror and regret at the kitchen counter. Somehow I know this is the end, this calm remorse on her side giving her intentions away. My knuckles are turning white as I grip onto the granite hopelessly. This is the end of the beginning, or maybe it's the beginning of the end. She had told me it wasn't love, that it was infatuation and control that I craved over anything else. Our first memories, the purer ones of our blossoming relationship are now tainted with something revolting. I can't remember her smile because all we've done is scowl at each other lately. It frightens me:_ I can't even remember her smile.

 _She says something, she says it so quietly that I'm left stunned, and then slams the door with a loud and final crack behind her, just like the storm she is, just like the thunderstorm I first came to appreciate. I should run after her, I really should because I know her and I know that if she leaves now she will never ever come back. I know those four words will haunt me for the rest of my days and as I sit in silence, the loneliness hitting me harder than it ever had before, her final words to me ring in my ears, taunting me:_

" _Family Luke, you promised."_

* * *

Her silence was unsettling to him. He often found himself wishing for her to _stop_ talking, not the other way around. It was a new and uneasy experience for Percy and entirely unwelcome.

Percy could not fathom for the life of him why she was _so_ angry. Thalia cared, he knew as much, but he too had made his stance clear and he wished she would just let it go. She could not control his life; he would never allow it. If this was all a mistake, then it was his to make. He didn't see the silent treatment coming. One day she was yelling at him and the next day they were nothing more than strangers. And it fucking hurt.

Thalia could not fathom for the life of her why he was so stubborn. She didn't _want_ to control his life, but sue her for looking out for him, sue her for loving him like an older sister. She had already lost her first chance with her _actual_ little brother, a thought she often tried to ignore and forget for her own sake, but with Percy, he was like her second chance. She could not, would not let him get hurt. Not under her watch.

She knew firsthand how Stone Records, of all businesses, changed people. Thalia had been there, royally and completely fucked over because of her stupid, foolish love. Or what she'd perhaps naively believed was love. This whole topic was too much for her. His blue eyes and blond hair, so similar to her little brother's, haunted her and she knew, deep down, that they always would. How could she allow Percy to get screwed over when she knew for a positive fact that she could prevent all the pain? Thalia could not even bear to speak to the green-eyed young man and when she did, they just spent their time jumping at each other's throats, floundering like fish out of water.

" _You could pick any other bitch to fuck, so what the hell is so fucking special about her, Perseus, I don't fucking understand!"_

Her words were harsh, even to her own ears, but she couldn't fight the feeling that he would thank her later when his shit show exploded, a show she did not wish to entertain. She could stop it. She would.

" _Look, I'm sorry, okay! I'm sorry whoever that bastard is, the one you never talk about, fucked you over! I'm so fucking_ sorry _that he never fucking loved you, but don't you dare ruin_ my _life just because yours didn't go as planned!"_

Percy's tone was no kinder nor more mature and Nico wanted to slap the shit out of both of them; they were acting like children. _Raise your words, not your voice. It is rain that grows flowers, not thunder._ His remarks bit deeper than Thalia would have liked and before she could flare up again and strike a nerve, Nico had hauled her ass away. Since that day, they had not spoken, not uttered even a single syllable to the other. She wasn't mad about what he'd said- okay that was a lie. Thalia was definitely irritated by the thoughtless comment because Percy just _didn't fucking understand_ and he never would, but she was more pissed off that he wouldn't listen, just listen for once in his entire miserable life. She didn't want something to happen again. Not after Gabe. Not to Percy, who was so irreversibly _good,_ who just didn't deserve any of this shit.

Percy just wanted her to fuck off. He knew she meant well and that her heart was in the right place, but he was not a child anymore and he could take care of his fucking self. Nico had told him to give Thalia time to cool off before approaching the temperamental, tiny girl. Percy's theory had always been that because Thalia was so short, she was closer to Satan. Thalia had laughed once, so long ago, at Percy's explanation, but now Percy had not seen her laugh in so long. It was awkward with Annabeth, it was infuriating and painful with Thalia, it felt like things just kept getting worse as soon as one thing in his life finally began to shape up. The frustration was real.

Percy could not let it fall apart, not again.

Thalia could not let him slip through her fingertips, not again.

But as stubborn as they were, Percy could not help but miss her voice. He would much rather laugh with her again than hold his ground; he had never truly been the prideful type. He knew it always meant much more to the other person than it did to him. But if there was one thing that Percy knew to always be true, was that Nico was always right. If he said to give her time, Percy would give her all the time in the world. This would all blow over very soon and even though it felt like a reassurance for himself more than anything else, Percy knew Thalia, he knew he loved her.

And for now, that was good enough for him.

* * *

Piper's head snapped up at the sharp knock at her door, an-all-too familiar cadence. Only when the knuckles rapped against the dark wood a second time, Piper stirred from her pristine, white couch. She felt like she was in a song, the record scratching as she tried to open the door with confidence, like a normal person.

When she swung the front door open, she was face to face with a steel-eyed blonde. Annabeth's mouth immediately pinched down, her eyebrows furrowing together in concern.

"Piper?" her voice was hesitant, so blatantly concerned that the cavity in the brunette's chest filled up with the irrational need to sob. _Piper._ Her name was so light, airy, so carefree, and quite literally meant 'the flute player.' It suddenly didn't suit her anymore, it no longer felt like hers. Piper swallowed down her thick emotions and swung the door wider, silently inviting the taller girl inside. Annabeth didn't ask if she was okay, something she was more than grateful for. Perhaps it was because, deep down, they _both_ already knew the answer. Sympathy was nothing but an empty word in a broken girl's apartment.

"Would you like some tea?" Annabeth offered softly. The gentle voice was so uncharacteristically Annabeth that Piper had a hard time resisting the tears welling up in her kaleidoscope eyes. Time had certainly taken a toll on her, that much was evident. Not trusting her own voice, Piper found herself unable to respond. Annabeth took that as a 'yes.' Piper feared she would never be able to express her gratitude.

Annabeth slowly guided her friend to the kitchen, gently seating her on the wooden bar stool. Piper leaned onto the granite, exhausted in every possible way. As she prepared green tea, straining the bitter leaves and pouring the steaming liquid into two teacups, Annabeth couldn't help but glance at her friend out of the corner of her eye. Piper was staring at the patterns on the granite blankly, not having noticed Annabeth's stolen glances. It was safe to say she had never seen the brunette like this: so dejected, empty, pale, and stiff.

"Here you go," Annabeth whispered, if only to break the painful silence, and gingerly set down the white cup on the granite. Piper's eyes flickered, only to stare at the tea instead. Annabeth sat down next to Piper with her own tea. She gently nudged the cup towards her, realizing that Piper had probably not ate in days, or hydrated herself properly, or had a good night's sleep. A pang of guilt washed across the blonde. She pursed her lips and insisted that Piper pick up the cup, carefully guiding her smaller hands.

The brunette stared over the rim at the liquid, lost in thought. She was silent, as she had been earlier, the only sound in the entire apartment quiet sipping from Annabeth. In fact, she had not said one single thing since Annabeth had paid her a visit.

"You're supposed to drink it," Annabeth said lightly, hoping to lighten the mood with a poor joke. Piper did not crack a smile. All of a sudden, a sickening crack echoed through the vacant space. Annabeth's head whipped around, her curls flying behind her, her lips parting in a stunned silence at the broken glass on the counter.

Piper's lips pressed together and she stared at the shattered remains of her teacup. The tea began to drip down the side of the counter and Annabeth sprung into action, getting paper towels and cleaning up the mess. She picked out the large shards of glass, tossing them out, and wiping down the granite with a wet rag.

"Sorry," was all Piper said, the first word she'd said all evening.

"It's quite alright-" Annabeth began, only to be cut off.

"No. You took the time to make it for me and I just…" Piper trailed off, helplessly gesturing to what was once a mess and her eyes began to brim over with tears. Annabeth could feel the tension rising and knew this was all just the silence before thunderstorm. Her heart squeezed painfully when a single tear rolled down Piper's face, marking her with a wet path. It was at that moment that the storm exploded, thunder cracking, lightning flashing across the dark sky: Piper sobbed out, a guttural cry. It felt like Annabeth had been stabbed as she watched her best friend's resolve crumble, as she watched all her remaining sanity light on fire. The cracks felt akin to the remains of the teacup.

"Oh, Pipes," Annabeth felt the sorrow weigh on her, wishing that she could shoulder her burdens though she knew Piper would never allow such a thing. Piper involuntarily blubbered, letting the river flow down her face, gasping and hiccuping uncontrollably. Annabeth threw down the damp cloth, extending her arms and enveloping Piper in all the love she could offer.

"I know it hurts, I know," she murmured softly, comforting her the best she could. She wasn't a touchy-feely kind of girl, but she knew it was what Piper needed, and she'd be damned if she let her suffer any longer. Piper cried and she cried and she cried, allowing Annabeth to hold her close and care for her.

"I'm sorry, Piper," was all Annabeth could say. Piper sniffled, finding comfort in Annabeth's heartbeat. She allowed Annabeth to lead her back to the couch, resting her weary head in Annabeth's lap as she stroked her hair. There were moments when the words don't reach and so they stayed in silence, allowing the hurt to wash over both of them.

"Wasn't worth it," Piper muttered under her breath, so softly that Annabeth barely caught it. Piper couldn't help but struggle with herself and her feeling of worthlessness. She couldn't help but torture herself, wondering if she was ever worth it to a certain pale, icy-blue-eyed, blond Superman.

"That's not true," Annabeth refuted her unwanted thoughts. "That will never be true. You are worth everything to me, and you meant everything to him too." She dared no speak his name, for fear that would set Piper off again, Piper whose sniffles had only just diminished from frequent to occasional.

"How could he ever pick me over anything else?" it was the longest sentence Piper had said all day, the first coherent strand of words she'd strung together. The feeling of not being good enough, the feeling of being unloved would not leave her and even as Annabeth sat silently over her, Piper could not fight the unbearable and undeniable loneliness.

But in the back of her mind she wondered hopelessly if Jason Grace was thinking about her too, if he too was watching blankly out windows and gazing at the dark of the night, if he too could not stop replaying her walking out his front door and never looking back, if he too was haunted by a pair of kaleidoscope eyes, dimmed with hurt. As much as she wished he was, as much as she wished she wasn't alone in this pain, Piper could not find it within herself to hope for him to ponder over the scattered remains of their relationship. She could not bear for him to hurt like she did and hoped he had moved on, no matter how it pained her.

As the night unfolded upon her and Annabeth, Piper's eyelids felt heavy, comforted by Annabeth's gentle touch. She slid her eyes closed, silently praying for a dreamless sleep, and allowed the exhaustion to take over her.

Only when she slept did she vividly see his electric blue eyes, only when she slept did she recall the small scar above his lip, only when she slept did she remember him, all of him, and only when she slept did the eternal exhaustion leave her.

* * *

Leo was worried, to say the least.

His best friend, Jason Grace, was completely out of whack and Leo didn't know how the fuck he was going to fix him. Or, to make matters worse, _if_ he even could. This, _this_ was why he was a mechanic and dealt with fixing objects. Machines could be corrected. They had a code, each and every machine. If it was squeaky, you oiled it, if a smoky smell was coming from the device, you checked the wires for burning. But if Jason was sad- no, sad didn't even begin to cover it- Leo couldn't very well crack his head open and peer at the gears. It was frustrating.

Jason, who was more of a wreck than Leo suspected Piper ever was, had reached something along the lines of insanity. Leo was fully prepared to wrap the blond up, complete with a shiny red bow, and ship him off to a mental asylum. Some nights Jason even caught himself driving down the street without _realizing_ he was driving. It was as if he was permanently on autopilot, simply going through the motions of life.

Another morning, Jason had not showed up at Leo's place despite making plans with the little Latino elf the night before (even if Leo had maybe forced him to come over, instead of it being Jason's own idea. Sue Leo for caring). The curly-haired boy had lost all traces of mischievousness from the moment Jason had fallen into a dark place. He had come over that moment, nearly four hours after Jason was supposed to have been at his apartment, terrified of what he would see. Images of Jason sprawled across the floor, blood pooled under his head, caused a fearful prick to slice Leo's heart to ribbons as he picked up his pace. It may have just been his overactive imagination, but with every day that passed, it seemed like a more realistic outcome. Jason had never been one to be reckless or wild, but Leo found Jason more unrecognizable with each hour. He could not allow Jason to fall that hard.

One particularly gruesome night he had shattered his the vanity's mirror in his bathroom. Jason didn't consider himself a violent young man; that title was more of his sister's more than his. Funny enough, that was who he had been mourning. He had been grieving the loss of his dear older sister. She wasn't dead, but to him, she might as well have been. All could he could do is stare at his reflection angrily, thinking it should have been him who had been given to their mother, not the other way around. First he had lost her to their perpetually drunk and hungover mother and now he had lost Piper, all because he was a pathetic idiot.

How could he have let her go so easily? He knew he couldn't have beared to just be friends with her, not after all they'd been through together, not after all they'd meant to each other. It would have been utter and complete _torture_ , and nothing less. But he should've known she too would not budge. He would take her in any form she'd offered, he needed her so. Even if that form was that she didn't want to ever see him again, he would accept it if it would make her happy. It would kill him, but it would make her happy.

Piper happy… it had brought him a small dose of contentment, but clearly it had not lasted for long. That much was evident in the shattered glass of his bathroom. Still, it was a cheap price to pay in comparison to the torture of whatever this was. He hadn't known it was possible to hurt this much.

 _So this was love…_

It felt nothing like Piper's cheesy Rom Coms, or heaven forbid, The Bachelor, her guilty pleasure. Even the thought of her name made him lightheaded, make him physically sick. She had no idea, he imagined, the effect she had on him. Jason wanted to make it all better; he loved puzzles, he was often the friend that people asked advice of, he liked to figure things out, he enjoyed fixing things, but for the life of him, he could not repair his own life. He was drowning, desperately clawing at the surface of the water.

It was a painful feeling, but for a moment, Jason felt like he understood his mother better than he had ever before. He could not help but draw parallels; he would have to be blind to ignore the clear the connection in front of him. She too, had lost her mind over his father and though their situations were not the exact same, they were hauntingly similar.

It scared the _shit_ out of him.

Beryl Grace had been the walking dead… until she actually was dead. To cope with her loss, she had fallen in love again, this time with the ever-popular alcohol. To that very day, Jason had promised never to drink ever. He could not bear to face the same outcome as his mother. He was on the verge of taking over his father's company, he had grown up so much, he could not throw it all away now.

But it was too painful to even begin to describe. Some days Jason did nothing but sleep and other days he did not sleep at all. Some days he _forgot to eat_. He forgot to get rest, forgot to run a brush his hair, forgot his keys and would walk to his car, only to stare at it.

Another night he had simply snapped, had walked all the way to Piper's place- and it was not a short distance- and then, standing outside her apartment building, had stared up at her window and sobbed in the dark of the night, something he had not done in a while. He hadn't cried over her since the night she'd left, had been too numb to feel, but it had just all unraveled like a ball of yarn picking up speed as it rolled down a grand staircase, too fast for him to catch up to. And then he'd panicked because what the actual fuck was he doing there? Why was he only torturing himself even more? So he'd left, stuffing his fists in his pockets, hoping- praying that Piper had not seen him.

Leo was at a loss for what to do as he hovered over Jason, watching with a frown on his face as Jason attempted to cook food for the both of them. Leo had offered to just order something for the both of them but Jason, his expression hardening, insisted that he could cook still and defensively claimed that he wasn't completely useless without Piper. He sounded like he was convincing himself more than his friend.

Perhaps he was.

Leo grimaced as Jason burned his finger on the stove.

"Fuck. Want me to get you something for that?" Leo offered, his words falling on deaf ears. Jason just stared blankly at the quickly reddening skin on his finger. It was sure to leave a blatant burn mark if he did not treat it immediately.

Seemingly unaffected, or rather, in a state of mind where Jason could not process any other type of pain, at least not one that was worse than his current emotional trauma, he did not reply as if he had not heard at all. Leo said nothing, watching as Jason worked stiffly, his forehead creasing every once in a while at Jason's silence and hesitance. Jason paused before each step of cooking the meal, like he had forgotten what came next. Leo did not allow Jason to cut the vegetables, realizing that Jason would probably just chop his whole hand off. It seemed his once careful friend had lost all sense of caution while losing himself.

Perhaps the icy-eyed young man had come to the conclusion that no physical pain could match _this_. Or perhaps he had realized that there was no point in being careful when there was nothing left to lose.

Piper was a storm that had turned his life upside down, unknowingly burning it down to ash and smoke. She had left nothing in her wake, destroying him, his mind, his heart, his soul, and everything he had ever been sure of.

And when she left, it was then that Jason finally understood why storms are named after people.

 **A/N: Sorry this was kinda short. I wrote it in a few hours because I had a snow day today and very little homework left to do.**

 **Confession- I ACCIDENTALLY DROPPED LUKE'S NAME IN THE LAST CHAPTER'S A/N. Idk if y'all saw that before I edited it on Thursday afternoon. But I have this terrible habit of rereading my writing** _ **after**_ **submitting it. Genius, I know. But I was snacking and I legit almost dropped my muffin from horror. My heart stopped lol.** **This is what I get for posting it unedited. I honestly don't know how authors do it XD. If I was an author, I'd drop notifs on my readers and I'd be like: New mysterious character introduction in the next book. I'll give you a hint… his name starts with L- and ends with -uke. ;)**

 **Anyways, moving past my stupidity, what did y'all think of the last "mystery person" scene? Are you guys happy I added some shit about Luke? Did it add any closure? There's definitely going to be a follow-up to all this, and it's going to be in the next chapter, so if you can see how all this plays into the present time.**

 **I love y'all; you guys have no idea how ridiculously giddy I get reading all your reviews. I know this fucking polar vortex is crazy; I live way up north in the USA and I've had 6 snow days ;) I hope all's well for you guys in southern Canada and northern USA. Water pipes are bursting left and right. Stay safe xx.**

* * *

 **mylifeisogre: Idk why I thought your username was 'mylifeisgore.' More disturbingly, idk why I got so excited XD. Maybe my Attack on Titan obsession is changing me more than I thought lol. Anyways, I'm glad you're excited for the angst; I know some people kinda resent me for that. :P**

 **dropdeadgorgeous4ever: Sorry dude. I haven't even decided whether this story's going to end completely happy yet. *waits for my readers to kill me***

 **DDaughterofAthena: ...I think you can answer that yourself now lol.**

 **Percabeth824: Hell yeah it is! Glad someone else shares my passion for destroying characters. XP**

 **aaquater: Tbh I don't get it either. And I don't get life~ *existential crisis mode* (*cough* I have no idea what I'm doing. *cough*) Ayyy my fellow non-feeling robot! We can be heartless together, tis cool. I think I just enjoy their pain too much and find it ten times easier to write than happy scenes lmao. (Side question: Does that make me a masochist? ...*googles*) No, that's definitely concrete character growth which I** _ **hope**_ **to demonstrate more of in the future. Annabeth is a bit more childish lol, but hopefully she will grow too. It's just taking her a little longer than we'd like haha. (Why does that sound like what my parents would say about me:** _ **It's just taking her a little longer than we'd like.**_ **XD) And thanks, I actually did (surprisingly) well on them! :)**


	30. Sleepless In New York

**A/N: You know you're fucked when you're confused about your** _ **own**_ **story.**

 **PS: This chapter's extra long (my longest chapter, actually, almost 11,000 words, excluding A/Ns) since I'm currently on mid-winter break. :P**

 **Disclaimer: All rights remain. Also the broken mug scene idea came from the movie** _ **Joy,**_ **starring Jennifer Lawrence. Additionally, the chapter name came from _Sleepless In Seattle._**

 ****WARNING: This chapter contains themes of er… well,** _ **doing**_ **it. It's not explicit or anything; this story is only rated T and I highly doubt anything I write could be more vulgar than my A/Ns tbh lmao, but regardless: proceed at your own caution. If you wish to skip the more lemony bits, just read up until the last line break and then skip down to the A/N. Or don't read the A/N. You do you, homie. :P**

She finally picked up after the third ring. "What the fuck do you want?" Thalia snapped, not particularly in the mood to converse with a certain green-eyed boy.

"Someone's in a good mood," Percy said dryly.

"Just cut to the chase."

Percy immediately thought of Annabeth, Thalia's choice of words striking close to his favorite blonde. "I was just wondering if you're ready to quit being childish, stop the silent treatment, and explain to me what the fuck's going on with you." He could practically feel her glaring at him from across the phone.

"Can we do this in person?" Thalia finally said.

"Why, afraid someone's listening to our conversations?" Percy remarked.

"If I'm going to explain the whole thing to you, truthfully, then I want to talk to you in person. I'll be there in twenty," Thalia simply finished, then hung up on him and left Percy to listen to the dull blank sound.

…

Thalia, true to her word, arrived in barely eighteen minutes, most likely because she had sped to get there.

"So what's so important that you _had_ to talk to me in person?" Percy leaned back in his seat and crossed his arms over his chest. He wouldn't admit if there was a gun pressed to his head, but he was still a little pissed at Thalia, even if the both of them had grown fed up with ignoring each other and even if they had both calmed down a little.

"Look," Thalia began, ready to spill her truth and was almost immediately interrupted by none other than Annabeth Chase.

"Speaking of the devil," Thalia muttered under her breath and Percy glared at her harshly. Not much fazed Thalia, but Percy's death stare was enough to keep her quiet. He made his point clear: _play nice._

Annabeth felt the tension and took a step back. "I can always talk to you later," she offered, glancing between Percy and Thalia, neither of whom were looking at her but were instead harshly looking at each other. Thalia looked away first, succumbing to Percy's fury.

She turned to tell Annabeth to come back later, when another familiar blond walked in, this time a male. All three of their heads turned to face him. Why could Thalia not speak with Percy privately without a million people interrupting them? Thalia was about to whirl and slap the next person who had entered, but stopped in her tracks, her mouth falling open in shock.

Percy's mouth pressed together tightly and he stood up immediately, subconsciously half-shielding Annabeth. He was angry as hell, but when he glanced at Thalia, he was surprised to see she was angry too, if not angrier. Annabeth took a step back, allowing Percy to shield her, just this once, as an expression of horror overtook her face.

Thalia was the first to speak. " _Luke_ ," she spat with all the hatred and malice she could muster. The anguish in her face hurt Percy from just looking at her.

Luke Castellan had merely been dropping something off in Athena's room, but when he had passed by, he had caught a glimpse of dark, choppy hair and he couldn't help but wonder if it was truly her or if he were simply imagining things. He was drawn to her, he knew her, and now he was stunned she was actually here. Luke froze on the spot, silently mouthing Thalia's name.

The icy-blue-eyed girl's gaze immediately darted to Annabeth's body language and the way she recoiled. Something inside her burned, a bonfire as she suddenly understood. She understood it all and it _killed_ her inside.. "How dare you even show your face to me," she accused, and Percy knew this was bad, this was getting real bad. His right arm moved to protect Annabeth and with his left hand, he reached out to soothe Thalia. Desperate, Percy fought the itch to deck Luke right then and there.

"You know him?" he found himself saying, glancing at Thalia.

Thalia laughed, a raspy, harsh laugh. It rattled Percy's soul. " _Know_ him? Of course I fucking know him, Percy, he's my ex-boyfriend." Venom rose up in Percy's throat. _This,_ this piece of utter trash was her ex?

" _Thalia_ ," Percy choked, squeezing her shoulder tightly. What had the sick bastard done to her? Percy was going to kill him, he was actually going to murder him. Thalia ignored him.

"What did you do?" she demanded. Luke was at a loss for words, lost in her eyes and her hair and her face and her voice and everything about her. "I'm not going to repeat myself again, Castellan. What the fuck did you do?"

Percy took a step back; this wasn't his fight, this was something else entirely, something he couldn't control, something he had no part of. Thalia turned and pointed at Annabeth who glanced up at Percy with wide eyes. "Look at her!" Thalia was beyond furious. In fact, Percy was quite sure he had never seen her like this before in his entire life. _Ever._ "What'd you do to her? Whatever you did, you did worse than you did with me." If looks could kill, Luke would have been nothing more than a grease spot on the floor by now.

Luke didn't say anything, lost in his stunned silence.

"You _bastard_ ," and Thalia spit, she fucking spit on his sorry face.

Percy's mouth fell open, unable to disguise his shock. Thalia was defending Annabeth?! Was the Earth even revolving anymore? Annabeth was trembling next to him and it killed him. Annabeth was strong and smart and brave, she wasn't scared of most things. He wrapped his hand around her shoulder; this wasn't how he had expected the day to go at all. Too many things were happening at once, too many wounds being reopened, too many secrets being spilled.

"Get the fuck outta my face. _Now._ And if you ever come near Percy or Annabeth or me again, lord help your darkened soul," Thalia's eyes glimmered. Luke opened his mouth, to explain, to make an excuse for himself, to say something, but all Thalia could feel was the way her skin prickled in his presence.

"Thalia, I-" he hadn't seen her since she'd walked out on him, so long ago.

"Don't you dare say my name. Get out," she grit her teeth. To all of their relief, Luke spun around and walked away. Her expression was fiery and she locked eyes with Percy. "Annabeth, give us a moment." It may have been the only time she had truly used her real name. Annabeth left for her office and Percy decided to go check on her later, she had seemed pretty rattled, but first he needed the explanation from Thalia, he wanted to hear it from her.

"This is why," she said the moment they were alone. "This is why I don't trust Stone Records."

Percy was silent and patiently waited for her to continue.

"This business fucking changes people." And it all made sense to him, why she warned him of Annabeth, why she typically avoided his office, why she was so fucking angry. She had loved a boy with blue eyes and blond hair, and left him when he became a controlling, emotionally manipulative monster.

"Did he…?" Percy trailed off.

"No, heaven's no. I walked out on his sorry ass before he could ever go that far," Thalia's anger did not dissipate.

"For fuck's sake, Thalia," Percy raked his hair back messily. "Why didn't you ever tell me it was him? I didn't… I never put two and two together."

Thalia shrugged stiffly. "It wasn't your problem. Until he fucked _her_ over," Thalia gestured vaguely to Annabeth's office down the hall. Percy clenched his jaw, his muscles tensing.

"I can't believe this, I just fucking can't. I'm going to kill him, Thals," he threatened.

"Don't even bother. We can't touch him. Everyone adores him," Thalia murmured, and this time it was a quiet, hopeless voice that exited her body.

"I know, but it's just so…"

"-unfair?" Thalia bobbed her head. "I know, Perce."

"Can we not talk about him anymore?" Percy finally sighed in resignation, trying to let it go, at least for now. Thalia nodded quickly. "I just don't understand why you can blame an entire company's workers because of what happened to one person," he said finally. Percy's frustration at his friend had vanished (he was more angry with Luke), but he still didn't appreciate Thalia's cold behavior towards Annabeth, who had done nothing to her.

Thalia licked her lips, hesitating. "Because he's not the only one. My half-aunt." Percy cocked a curious eyebrow at her; he hadn't known she'd had a half-aunt. He knew her family was fucked up, but the specifics were always looked over by the both of them.

"Your half-aunt? Who?"

Thalia paused and Percy felt his stomach drop.

"Athena Stone."

…

"You're related to Athena _fucking_ Stone?!" Percy hissed, his eyes widening. This was too much to handle. First her ex-boyfriend was the asshole who had taken advantage of Annabeth and now she was related to Annabeth's mother… _wait._ That meant that…

Percy felt dizzy. "Hold up. You're related to Annabeth by _blood_ and you never told me!" Percy accused and was rewarded with her guilty face. He absentmindedly wondered why Annabeth had never informed him of this shocking fact. Did she not trust him enough? Percy's stomach twisted into knots.

"Actually," Thalia began, sheepishly rubbing the back of her neck. "Annabeth doesn't know either."

Percy gaped at her, slowly sitting back in his seat. "What the fuck? What the actual fuck, Thalia?" he whispered.

"Not a lot of genetics overlapped, so it would be very difficult to tell by looking at us," Thalia began. "And Athena's mother kept her first husband's name out of respect or something, which is why it's so confusing."

"You're going to have to break this down for me more," Percy whispered once more. He couldn't seem to find his voice anymore.

"Okay, okay," Thalia surrendered, holding up her hands. "You deserve an explanation at the least." Percy nodded in agreement. The dark-haired girl ran her tongue over the flat of her front teeth. "Give me a piece of paper and a pen." Percy slowly supplied them for her and watched carefully as she began to draw. "It's confusing," she stated at the confused look on his face. "Even for me."

As she drew, she began to explain. She knew Percy wouldn't understand unless she physically showed him how this could be. "Here's my grandfather and his wife," she pointed to two, poorly drawn stick figures. "My grandfather, my dad Zeus' father, divorced his wife." She drew two more people, the lady's hair a little uneven this time. "Athena's mom, my grandmother, well her husband passed away. My grandfather had Zeus with his first wife and then married Athena's mother, making my grandmother Zeus' stepmother. That's the worst of it. You follow?"

Percy nodded slowly, sort of dazed. "Then my grandmother and my grandfather had Athena together, making my dad, Zeus, and Athena, Annabeth's mom, half siblings. Athena married Frederick Chase, had Annabeth, then divorced him, who later got married again later, so Annabeth has two half siblings. Zeus married Beryl," Thalia's tone took on a bitter edge," and had me and my brother, before they divorced and then Beryl passed away. This means that Annabeth's half uncle is Zeus, my half aunt is Athena, and Annabeth is my brother's half cousin as well as mine."

Percy pinched the bridge of his nose and squeezed his eyes shut. "My head hurts." He opened his eyes again after a few minutes, stared at the sheet for a while, before pursing his lips and peering at Thalia through a new lense. One of his best friends was related to Annabeth Chase. Percy groaned and put his head in his arms, laying across the table. "Why doesn't Annabeth know?" he murmured under his breath, his voice muffled by his sleeves and the wooden table.

Thalia sighed, taking a seat across from him. "Athena never actually told me about Zeus. They're not super close, so nobody would have guessed. I only knew because Athena is a backstabbing bitch. She stole some of Zeus' shit and made her own business. My brother told me about it once," her voice softened at the mention of her brother. Percy knew they hadn't spoke for most of their life, seeing as in her parents' divorce, Beryl had gotten custody of Thalia and Zeus of Jason. She had only began to grow close to him once more after she had turned eighteen, a legal adult. Surely, there were gaps in their relationship. Percy's heart went out to her.

"This business must change people," Thalia reasoned, her voice devoid of emotion for her little brother, whom she was obviously fond of. "Athena is a crazy bitch. It's not like Zeus is winning any best father awards either, but he's not as mental, he's just stupid," she finished.

"So when was Annabeth going to know?" Percy sat up, finally looking Thalia in the eye.

Thalia seemed to shrink in her seat. "...never?"

Percy covered his face with his hands once more. "Never? Thalia, you can't be serious. You have to tell her you guys are related. She deserves to know."

"It doesn't fucking matter though," Thalia glared at him. "I still hate her motherfucking guts."

Percy sighed. "Thalia, we've talked about this. You can't define a person by their parents."

"You're right, we _did_ talk about this. You're still defined by your deadbeat dad, remember?" she reminded him, referring to their conversation from a while ago. Percy flinched at the reminder of Poseidon. "Look Perce, I don't have to like her. And I probably won't, at least, not for a very, very, _very_ long time. When I needed someone to take me in after Beryl and Zeus was forbidden to do so due to the law, Athena was my last hope and she didn't do shit. Foster care was an acidic way to live my life." Thalia glared at the floor. "I don't owe her or anybody else in this goddamn family any respect. They're all a bunch of lying bastards, with the exception of my little brother, of course."

Percy was silent as she spoke and only then spoke. "Okay, Thals. I get it, okay? You don't have to like her, I understand." He was surprised by how calm he was. With the explanation, his friend's resentment made a shit ton more sense and he could understand why she felt the need to distance herself from Annabeth. The way Thalia had grown up, it was poisonous and no better than Percy's own childhood, just disgusting and evil in a different way.

"Thanks, Perce," her voice was soft. "But Percy?" she began and Percy glanced up at her. "I may not trust her yet, but I trust you and I trust you know what you're doing. I know you don't need it, but you have my support." Thalia stood up to leave. "If you think Annabeth has a good heart, then maybe you're right. You've always had a way with reading people. I won't give you a hard time about it anymore."

This was her way of apologizing, Percy knew, and he couldn't fight the small smile on his face. For him, there was almost nothing standing between him and the blonde now. Only his own inner demons. He decided not to dwell on it at the moment, letting a shred of hope encase his heart for the first time in years.

"Are we still on for dinner later?" the green-eyed young man inquired.

Thalia shot him a shit-eating grin. "Nico's even agreed to try my soda concoction," she snickered.

"Poor bastard," Percy laughed then, happy, genuinely fucking happy. He watched her leave, a smile stretching wide across his face. He loved his friends, he really did.

Standing up and making his way down the hallway, he found Annabeth's office and knocked sharply against the glass. Annabeth had been trembling before Luke and he seriously doubted she was okay. Perhaps she would want to get lunch with him and then he could make her feel better. Percy felt on top of the world. Things weren't perfect, but they were slowly starting to fall into place, first with Thalia, and hopefully with Annabeth too. His life was finally taking a turn for the better.

* * *

"Do you want some coffee, Chase?" Percy's gentle voice cut through her thought process. Annabeth was fucking exhausted, pale and skinny. When she didn't look up, Percy repeated his question again.

"Sure," she replied shakily, glancing at him for only a moment, but just long enough that he caught her watery eyes.

"You should get some rest." It was a regular banter of theirs. He would suggest she slept, or ate, or _fucking took care of herself_ and she would object, stating that she had work to do, that she was almost finished. Percy would force himself to send her home to get some rest, one time even going so far as to take her laptop with him to ensure she would truly sleep.

Annabeth shook her head, not tearing her gaze away from the matter at hand, ever the workaholic. She was so close, so fucking close to replying to all of Athena's emails, so close to finishing all of Athena's little tasks. She just had to power through and she could finish it before the tortilla sun rose into the rainy skies, signaling the next tiresome day. She was aware in the back of her mind that Percy's feet were shuffling in the kitchen as he prepared some coffee for her. The delicious scent of coffee wasn't enough to draw Annabeth away from her work so Percy reluctantly poured her a cup of steaming hot coffee.

"Here," was all he said, or at least, all she heard as she gratefully accepted the mug, acknowledging him with only a small nod of her head and purse of her lips. She downed the cup, clicking away hastily at the little machine in front of her. Percy watched her quietly but she was hardly giving any attention to him.

Abruptly, Annabeth stood up. "Done?" she inquired, glancing at his empty cup. It was quite possibly the first word she'd said in at least a few hours. Percy nodded slowly.

"I can do that," he offered and began to stand as she scooped up his mug as well.

"Nonsense," Annabeth assured him and prayed he couldn't see the way her hands were trembling. She wasn't ready to sleep yet. Surely, he would send her to bed if she displayed even a miniscule sign of weakness. She wouldn't be able to bear it. Percy's eyebrows furrowed and he watched her, concerned. She could wash a few cups for god's sake, she could do it. She could do it all and she would.

Annabeth bit her lip and started the sink, staring at the bottom of it blankly. She heard his chair scrape back and so she reached for the soap hastily. She could do this. _Don't help me, Percy please._ It happened in the blink of an eye. She had been reaching for the kitchen towel, when the mug had fallen from her hands, slipping through her fingertips, and plummeted to the kitchen tile, shattering upon impact. She almost wanted to laugh, so she did. One could imagine that the mug was her sanity.

Percy gawked at her, clearly worried. She was worried about herself also. Hysterical laughter bubbled up in her chest. Annabeth leaned back against the kitchen counter, giggling helplessly, tears leaking out of her slate eyes. Her heart was thumping in her chest, not that she was sure she even _had_ one. She was overworking herself, she knew, but she couldn't find it in her to stop. This was the way she was, this was all of her. Percy must have thought she was losing her mind, and quite frankly, Annabeth suspected she was too. Her facade crumbled as her laughter slowly morphed into sobs.

"Don't move, Annabeth," Percy demanded, carefully approaching her with caution. Her sobs only intensified at the use of her first name from him, something he rarely, if _ever_ , did. Only once or twice during a serious conversation, but even then, he tended to stick to her surname. It was less intimate, more safe, and she did the same. Annabeth covered her mouth with her hands as she shook. It was all falling apart.

Hurriedly, Percy began to pick up the larger shards of glass around her before she could step in them.

"No Percy," she protested almost immediately. "I can do it, let me do it," Annabeth dropped to her knees immediately and recklessly scooped the glass in her hands, cutting deep red ribbons into her soft hands.

"Stop it, Annabeth, you'll hurt yourself," Percy warned.

"No, I can _do this_ ," she choked out between her tears. Percy reached out gently and stood her up, desperately trying to keep her still as he picked up whatever was left and wiped down the tile with a damp rag. She had stopped crying, but wasn't sure if that was a good thing or not. Annabeth was too exhausted to even be mortified. ' _Exhausted'_ didn't even begin to cover it all.

Once the area was thoroughly cleaned and safe, Percy gently led Annabeth back to the kitchen table, his hand on the small of her back. She robotically followed his lead, staring at her hands in a scary silence, silent tears still rolling down her cheeks. She could barely register the pain and it instead felt like a dull throb rather than glass embedded into her skin. Annabeth stared at the floor, occasionally wincing as he plucked the glass out of her palms with tweezers. Her hands looked like they'd gone through a war of their own.

Carefully digging through a first aid kit, Percy found something to clean the wounds.

"Want to tell me what happened?" he prodded gently, trying to keep her distracted from the pain. Unfortunately, he had underestimated the emotional pain involved and watched helplessly as Annabeth broke down, a shell of the person he knew and had grown close to.

"My parents are divorced," Annabeth couldn't stop herself from letting it slip and felt no horror from her words. Tears welled up in her eyes once more, spilling over onto her soft cheeks. She was grateful for his quiet sympathy and not the regular pitiful apologies.

"That's recent?" Percy applied rubbing alcohol to the cuts. Annabeth flinched and he rubbed the inside of her wrist soothingly before pressing the cotton ball against the stinging jagged edges of her bloody skin.

"No," Annabeth admitted, her voice hollow. She couldn't stop crying and she felt pathetic. Percy's thumb brushed away the falling tears, but her heart still squeezed painfully, even more actually at his gentle gesture. "They got divorced when I was about six. My dad's got a nice new family," her tone did not conceal her bitterness. The time didn't make the betrayal hurt any less. The divorce felt as fresh as the wounds staining her hands.

"Did you know my mom kept her maiden name?" Annabeth was blurting out random things. It felt like a confession, but she was making no sense and probably scaring Percy. She was scaring herself too. "Yeah, her name's Athena Stone. I'm still tainted though," the blonde explained and Percy realized that she didn't even understand what she was saying. The nighttime made her weaker, it was science. The wee hours made people more confessional and reckless and intimate. Annabeth was simply spouting out random things about her life while Percy fixed her up.

"Does this hurt too much?" Percy inquired then, prepared to take a break from the rubbing alcohol need be.

"Ow," said Annabeth flatly, staring at him blankly, so he continued to clean her up. Annabeth wasn't quite sure why she was blurting out random facts about her life. She wanted to blame it on the time of day but somehow knew that was unhonest to herself and to him. Maybe she subconsciously trusted him. Annabeth decided she was too tired to ponder upon her feelings, something she wasn't sure had.

"My mom's all the family I've got and I don't know, I think I want to please her," Annabeth continued, sniveling yet with a chirpy tone. It was haunting and confusing. She had truly unraveled. "I don't think I'm good enough for her. She never says she's proud of me, only silent when I've done _something_ right," Annabeth expressed her thoughts like a child- no filter. "I'm such a disappointment," she smiled as if it were funny. It wasn't.

Percy's mouth parted in surprise at her brutal honesty as he reached for the bandages he'd scoured for. "That can't possibly be true. You work day and night, Annabeth," it was getting easier to say her name. It felt wrong to use ' _Chase'_ to describe her. _Annabeth, Annabeth, Annabeth._ He gestured vaguely to the room. "You work so hard, you have fucking mental breakdowns." Percy frowned.

"Good one," Annabeth smiled brightly once more, tears slowly drying. Occasionally, she still hiccuped with tears. Percy just shook his head at her, bandaging up her hands.

"I didn't even know my dad had two new kids. Two boys."

Percy felt sick: this wasn't how _his_ Annabeth was. She was reserved and funny, she was witty, she had a big mouth, she was smarter than she let on, she was arrogant, but endearing. He could practically feel her splitting at the seams.

"But who would want me anyways? I'm just a reminder of his failed marriage." She grimaced.

Percy's mouth fell open and he momentarily stopped wrapping her left palm. "You can't be serious," he murmured.

"Isn't that funny?" Annabeth continued, as if she had not heard him. Perhaps she hadn't. Percy finished wrapping her up and set the first aid kit aside.

"We're going to bed," he said firmly, helping her stand up. Annabeth's mouth immediately turned down.

"No," she said stubbornly.

"No?" Percy was bewildered. "And why not?"

"I have to work." She was like a record on repeat.

" _Work?_ " Percy was exasperated. "No," he replied.

Annabeth cocked her head to one side in confusion. "No?" her voice wavered. Percy could tell she was about to start crying again, from frustration, from she didn't even know what. The entire night had just been one big emotional rollercoaster. It hurt inside, it hurt so bad. At least her inner pain distracted her from her physical uncomfort.

"You were hysterical hardly twenty minutes ago, Annabeth," Percy informed her, trying to reason with her. "You're going to bed, whether you like it or not." It was time to put his foot down. He could not watch this shitshow anymore.

"You can't make me," it was a challenge, and her eyes burned with tears of frustration and weariness. Her hands curled up into fists, but Percy reached out and gently uncurled them, trying to protect her from herself.

Percy sighed. "Don't make me drag you there." Annabeth did not move from her spot on the floor. "Fine." Without a warning, Percy extended his arms and scooped her over his shoulder, much to her surprise. She hadn't thought he would actually _carry her there._

"Percy!" she shrieked in surprise, wriggling in his grasp. "Put me down!" she demanded, but her voice felt weak, even to her own ears. Percy said nothing, letting her tire herself out by trying to get out of his hold. Annabeth began crying again, panicking at the notion of being away from work, from burning daylight- well, nighttime. Gently shushing her like one would comfort a small child in a thunderstorm, Percy laid her down in his bed and wiped the tears from her face. When Annabeth didn't calm down immediately, he stroked her hair comfortingly.

"Hey- hey what's wrong?" he whispered, even though he full well knew _everything_ was wrong.

Annabeth shrugged, on the verge of tears once more. She extended her arms, desperate for comfort. Percy obliged, wrapping her tightly in his arms and holding her close to his chest.

"It's- it's okay," said Percy, letting her quiver against him.

"F-friends?" Annabeth looked up at him hopefully, vulnerable. No longer business partners, nor acquaintances, but friends because friends took care of each other. Friends felt like more than enough. Percy gently quieted her again, encasing her in his warmth.

"Friends," Percy confirmed, not once letting go. Athena might have let her go, Frederick Chase may have let her go, but he refused to do the same. And with that, Annabeth drifted off into an uneasy sleep.

* * *

"Athena's happy with you," Annabeth spun around in her chair once, a hint of a smile on her face. It was so uncharacteristic for her, so childish, and he loved it. She looked happy and to Percy, it was a welcome change. In the back of his mind, he mildly wondered if her happiness only stemmed from her mother's, a thought that made his throat constrict uncomfortably, one that weighed him down. He didn't want to spoil her wide smile, so he said nothing.

"Oh, really?" Percy asked instead, sitting down across from her with a smile of his own; her pearly whites were contagious. "Unfortunately, I don't really care what Athena thinks."

Annabeth rolled her eyes at him. "You're ridiculous."

He just grinned. "I think a better question is what _you_ think," Percy smirked at her, relishing the faint rosy glow in her cheeks. He didn't care what she said, she was still affected by his words, by his touch, by _him_ , all of him.

"What, you're not going to answer? No sarcastic remark?" he teased, rewarded with a deeper flush. Percy decided to cut her some slack and change the topic. "You hungry?" he said instead.

"Hungry?" Annabeth was bewildered.

Percy stared at her for a second. "Yes, Chase, _hungry._ It's this thing that _normal_ human beings feel when they haven't ate in a while," he said dryly. Annabeth glowered at him and he cracked a smile. "C'mon, I bet you haven't ate dinner yet."

"Well, of course not," she said, snippy. "It's hardly eight yet."

"Right, I forgot," Percy crossed his arms over his chest, leaned back in his seat, and rolled his eyes. "You don't eat until it's one in the morning." Annabeth remained quiet, refusing to admit that sometimes she just skipped dinner entirely. "Seriously though. It's a Friday night, let's go get something to eat," Percy offered.

"B-but I have work," the blonde sputtered, gesturing wildly to the folders laid out all over her desk.

Percy frowned at the papers with disdain. How she managed to stay alive, he figured he'd never fucking know. He picked up some of the papers and without a warning, folded four or five important-looking documents and put it in his jacket pocket. Naturally, Annabeth freaked out.

"Perseus Jackson!" she was horrified. Her papers were always neat, organized, pristine, without a single crease lining them. And he had just- just… Annabeth was at a loss for words. "You give those back right now," she demanded, burning a hole in him with a look.

"I have a better idea," he stated excitedly, standing up and dismissing all her protests. "How about I'll give them back to you if you come with me and get some dinner?" Percy suggested.

Annabeth's mouth twisted down, hard lines surfacing around her eyes. "How about no," she hissed. "Give them to me," she tried again, holding out her hand like a mother catching their kid stealing the last cookie in the jar she'd hidden away, stored high up in the shelves.

"Annabeth," he began, "you're going to starve if I don't keep up on you." He didn't notice that she had sucked in a breath at hearing her name, her first name rolling off his tongue.

"I- that's not true!" she argued.

"Fine," Percy shrugged, knowing a victory meant more to her than it ever did to him. "But it doesn't matter. You're eating even if I have to force feed you like a two year old," he threatened. He knew how much she hated to be treated like a child even if, admittedly, she did act like one occasionally. Annabeth scowled at him.

"This is ridiculous," the blonde muttered under her breath, but collected her coat from the hook on her door. "Fine. Fine!" she threw her hands up in the air in defeat. "But let's make this quick so I can go back to work." Percy shot her a smile as she sulked.

"You're _so_ not coming back to work after this," Percy stated cheerily, stuffing his hands in his pockets as he led her out to the elevator.

"And why not?" Annabeth inquired as patiently as she could, watching the elevator count down the levels instead of looking at him and his infuriating self. She pursed her lips; this was taking too long.

"Because, it's a freaking Friday night, Chase," he scoffed. "Why on earth would you want to be stuffed in an office building, slaving away at paperwork?"

"And what if I enjoy _slaving away at paperwork?_ Who are you to rob me of my joy?" Annabeth sniffed and Percy couldn't help it: he laughed. She was just so stubborn. "Are you done?" she swatted his arm, irritated that he was laughing at her. "What's so funny anyways?"

"You are, Miss Chase," Percy's eyes twinkled in amusement.

"Well, I'm glad you find my presence so humorous," she couldn't help the smile inching onto her face at his delight.

"Of course," he said, like it was only the most obvious thing in the world. "You're quite the entertainer."

"Am I?" she sparred with him as they walked out of the building, but her shoulders had relaxed, indicating that she wasn't _truly_ angry to be pulled out of her work zone. Percy nodded in response. However, she would still smack him later for folding her papers so carelessly.

"So, where are we going?" Annabeth glanced up at him.

"I found this nice little Greek place down the block."

Annabeth buttoned up her coat, feeling the breezy chill of an April night. It was still damp outside from early morning showers. "Won't that take a long time?" she voiced her concerns, remembering the stacks of papers.

"Do you have someplace to be?" he was amused. "If you say work, I swear to gods…" he trailed off and he was rewarded with a little smile on her face. She didn't answer his question and he hoped that meant she wasn't quite as eager to return to Stone Records as she had been earlier. "Are you cold?" he changed the subject, watching as she bundled up. His eyebrows furrowed together in concern.

"No," she snorted. "Why, were you going to give me your jacket?" Annabeth teased, laughing to herself at the notion.

"I'll have you know, I'm quite the gentleman," Percy shot back indignantly, but he too was laughing.

" _Sure_ ," she nudged him with her elbow, a playful gesture that made his heart melt. "You know, I didn't peg you for the Greek type."

"I like to try new things," Percy winked at her suggestively, stifling his laughter as her mouth parted slightly.

"Perseus Jackson!" she scolded, whacking him on the shoulder. "What happened to being a gentleman?" Annabeth shook her head at him, thoroughly amused.

"Do you like Greek?" he said instead as they approached the quaint restaurant, brushing off her commentary. He really hoped she'd like it. Annabeth gazed up at the place in awe. It really was beautiful with mini string lanterns garnishing the joint. It made it feel homey, lively, and cozy.

"Lovely," she breathed, seemingly unaware he'd even asked her a question.

"Wanna go in?" Percy tried to coax her out of the world inside her brain. How he deeply wished he could see what she was thinking, how he longed to know what was going inside that big, beautiful brain of hers.

"Su- oh wait," Annabeth spun to face him. He raised an eyebrow at her in confusion. Catching him off guard, she turned and smacked him across the face. It wasn't hard at all really and Percy gaped at her more out of surprise than pain. She had not even left a mark (she dared not hurt him, not after all she knew).

"What the hell was that for?" he looked dazed.

" _That's_ for the papers you recklessly crumpled up." Cheery, Annabeth flounced into the restaurant, a stunned, but strangely amused Percy following in suit.

…

"The house cab looks good," Annabeth commented, glancing up at Percy for his insight.

Percy shrugged. "Sure. I think I'm just going to get some Coke," he said, much to her surprise.

"You don't want wine?" she frowned in confusion. Whenever they ate together, with the exception of that time he had cooked breakfast for the both of them, they almost always shared a bottle of wine. It was practically becoming something of a routine. Lately, they hadn't ate together in a while, but she'd assumed that most things hadn't changed. "Why not?"

Percy felt that familiar and entirely unwelcome darkness swirling in his chest again at her words. But he had to get over this, he had to tell her the truth, at least, as much of the truth as he could bear to spill. Some conclusions, he'd rather let her come to on her own than painfully explain. He couldn't do this, not right now, not right here. Unleashing his inner demons was not something he was particularly fond of. He opened his mouth to claim he simply wasn't in the mood, to procrastinate the conversation for another time but-

"I'm giving up alcohol forever," said Percy. _Shit._ His eyes went wide at his own declaration, one he hadn't been expecting.

Annabeth was a good actress when she wanted to be. "Want to tell me why?" she tried to disguise her surprise. She was a good actress, sure, but not good enough to hide from him. He watched her try to work out his motivation. He could read her like the palm of his hand.

Percy could only imagine what she was thinking, most likely jumping to conclusions about his relationship with Gabe. She knew he was an alcoholic, knew he'd hurt Percy countless times, and Percy knew that Annabeth, ever the one to rationalize the direst of situations, would place the blame on Gabe. How wrong she was.

"Um…" he hesitated, his mind swirling with memories.

 _Percy woke up with the sun streaming into his eyes. No nightmares. Immediately he glanced down, as if suddenly realizing there were blonde curls in his face. It was as if whenever he slept next to her, she chased away his inner demons and gave him piece of mind. Only she could scare monsters. The thought made him smile fondly as he laid his head back down on the pillow. Percy reached out blindly for his phone, shutting off the scheduled alarm so it wouldn't interrupt Annabeth's beauty sleep._

 _Watching her in the_ un-creepiest _way possible, Percy was reminded of the night before. She'd dragged him away to her apartment for after-dinner drinks (even though he was ninety-nine percent sure she hadn't even ate dinner). He swallowed thickly at the way his hand had shook, how even after she'd downed a few drinks, he'd still been staring at his first glass as if it held all the answers to the universe. He could not keep it down for the life of him. It tasted bitter and watery in his mouth, like poison. It made the darkness creep back into the cavity of his chest, consuming him._

 _It struck too close to home. His scars ached with every sip. Gabe had never been sober, not truly, and especially not when Percy was at his mercy. Every time he closed his eyes, he felt the mind-numbing pain. Annabeth had disappeared from his mind and he was hardly aware of her talking about gods know what._

 _It was an irrational fear, he knew, but what if he… hurt somebody? What if he became another Gabe? An even more disturbing twisted his stomach into knots: what if he hurt_ her _whilst intoxicated? All of a sudden, Percy choked on the wine._

 _Annabeth stopped talking, frowning at him in concern. "Are you okay?"_

Were any of them okay? _Percy set down his glass, nodding quickly and only raising Annabeth's suspicion. He hadn't stayed with her that night, afraid of what could come of that. Instead, he returned to his own apartment and boxed, taking all his anger out on bags that could never become people. It helped._

 _Annabeth woke up, bringing him out of his flashback. "Did you sleep well?" she rubbed her eyes, not looking at him quite yet._

" _Of course," he easily replied. "You're my dreamcatcher," he half-joked. She would never know the truth behind that statement._

" _Dreamcatcher?" she opened one charcoal eye at him. "You have nightmares?" her nose wrinkled up in confusion._

 _He nodded reluctantly. "Sometimes."_ All the time.

" _Do you scream and cry?" Annabeth asked bluntly, too sleepy to have a filter._

 _Percy blinked. "No, Annabeth," the corner of his mouth twitched._ Only sometimes. _It kept him awake at night, sleepless night after another._

"Um?" Annabeth pressed, bringing Percy back to the restaurant and not a flashback in a flashback (because that wasn't confusing _at all._ ) He was so tempted to say no, no he would not like to explain at all thank you very much. That he was perfectly fine not being vulnerable and that trusting people was too hard. Percy didn't want to be that close with her. She already knew a lot about him, too much about him. He didn't want her to have that much power to hurt him, he didn't want to freak her out. Percy was quite used to breaking hearts left and right, never on purpose, but because some poor girl could not fathom the idea of one night stands. He knew how it felt to have shards piercing your heart and soul and he would not allow it to happen to him. Thalia had warned him her fair share, but even beyond her advice, he understood that he was playing with fire by himself. Stone walls would keep the flames away.

While he contemplated his darkest fears, the waitress made her way back over to their table and Annabeth ordered their drinks, wine for her and Coke for him. Once the waitress left, she met his eye with an understanding look. She wasn't going to push him, heaven's no, but it would be nice to know why.

Percy knew it was unfair to keep her in the dark, especially since she'd bandaged him up through the rougher injuries, especially since she'd listened to him pathetically babbled about blue hydrangeas for half an hour, especially since she'd always been there for him when he really needed it.

"I just- I don't want to hurt anybody," he confessed in a hushed tone, leaving out the part with her involved. Percy didn't want to her to know what a monster he felt like. She already helped him carry his heavy, heavy baggage. He could not let her carry this burden too, feared that she would fear him- something he could not bear. There was something about her and he couldn't help but gravitate towards her; to have her feel repulsed by him, it would shatter him. His monster and him, they could make peace, she needn't worry about him. Percy was scared to live and his monster was scared to die.

Annabeth's face softened. "That's not going to happen. You're not like him, you won't ever be," she assured him, realizing her mistake. He wasn't afraid of alcohol because it made Gabe hurt him, he was afraid of alcohol because he was afraid of _himself._ That was worse than she had expected.

Percy nodded absentmindedly.

"Well, I understand. And I respect your decision," Annabeth consoled him, hoping to convey that she never wanted to pressure him. He nodded once more and they tried to forget the seriousness of their conversation as they ordered chicken gyros and spanakopita. Soon, mindless chatter and witty banter took over them and they soon moved on past the uneasiness. But to Percy, it would not be forgotten so quickly.

* * *

With the exception of Thalia and Nico, no one besides him had stepped foot in his apartment since she had first come over. And here she was again, the first to return back to him even after all the craziness that washed through them. Even if it was only for work, it was something and it meant everything- fucking _everything_ \- to Percy.

Annabeth rubbed her face tiredly, scrunching up in frustration. Blonde strands, fallen out of her tightly wrapped bun, loosely framed her face. Silently observing her, Percy realized he often found himself comparing her to a spring, both ends being pushed closer and closer to each other. The anticipation was already there, he was waiting for the spring to jump out of its compression and explode. There was only so much time left until her internal clock ticked down and god forbid he wasn't there to save- no- _help_ her. Annabeth did not need saving, Percy had to remind himself many times. It was hard to remember that she was strong, so difficult when he was used to being the only strong one. It was refreshing, to say the least. Thalia's voice echoed in his mind and he wondered how she would react if she knew the choppy, dark-haired girl was _related_ to her. He imagined she would freak the fuck out and that only affirmed his decision to keep it from her and to convince Thalia to do the same. Annabeth's voice snapped him out of his daydreams (or nightmares- it was difficult to decipher any difference these days).

"Stupid, fucking stupid," she mumbled in a daze and and buried her head in her hands.

"What?" Percy interrupted, tuning in once more.

"I don't know how I'm going to fit them all in…" Annabeth muttered under her breath, her pen angrily scrawling over a piece of paper, harshly scratching out previous writing. Percy blinked, watching her with his mouth turned down. She got like this sometimes. It would seem like they weren't even on the same planet and he wouldn't take it personally, he knew she did this regardless of who was in her company, but it still worried him. She would shut down completely, solely focused on some arbitrary issue that could be dealt with after a good night's sleep, but of course convincing her to take a break was always akin to starting World War III. That didn't mean he wouldn't try; he cared about her health more than he ever cared about his and he suspected he always would.

"I think you should take a break, Wise Girl," Percy spoke up, his tone light and hopeful. He could not fight fire with fire. The stupid nicknames they had created for each, drunk on New Year's Eve had managed to stick with the both of them, shaping more into terms of endearment rather than annoyance.

Annabeth slowly looked up at him, an expression plastered on her face as if she thought he was losing his mind. "No, I'm almost done."

Percy sighed to himself; they both knew that was a blatant lie. Why must she always insist on this little dance of theirs? "Chase, you're _exhausted._ You look like something straight out of _The Walking Dead_ ," the corner of his mouth twitched in concealed amusement, a small gesture only Annabeth or perhaps Nico would pick up on.

"Don't be dramatic, Jackson, I'll go to bed soon," Annabeth promised, rolling her eyes at his dorky references.

"I think it's far past your bedtime, young lady," Percy tried for a joke, if only to hide the worry etched into his skin.

At that, Annabeth could not hide her toothy grin. "Weirdo," she stuck her tongue out at him- a childish, yet welcome notion. Percy knew then that she truly was not angry.

"Careful," Percy warned, his playful persona overtaking him, something only she brought out in him, something he hadn't seen in so long. "I don't like to be teased," he shot her a sideways smile. A spark danced in Annabeth's eyes and a mischievous expression passed over her face, making one message clear: _it's on._

"Please accept my sincerest apologies," she drawled mockingly, grinning like a little kid and desperately trying to bury her excitement at the changing environment and horribly failing.

"And what if I don't want to?" It was a challenge.

"I guess I'll just have to make it up to you," there was a lilt in her voice and she'd accepted it, he knew.

Annabeth's eyes darted back to the screen, but she was biting her lip to stop smiling. Percy stared at her for a bit, hoping to coax her away from her work, but it was to no avail. Annabeth, ever the dedicated employee, did not waver from her spot in front of her laptop and carefully laid out piles of papers. Oh, how he loved when she worked here instead of in that wretched office, where he could curl his fingers in her golden locks, where he could look at her however and whenever he liked. How Percy enjoyed going back and forth with her. It was always a game and he had to admit, it had recently become one of his favorites.

"So that's how you want to play it," Percy shook his head at her, looking away momentarily. "Fine," he decided, and though he knew Annabeth had heard, she stubbornly refused to look up at him. Percy walked over, slowly and carefully, seating himself across from Annabeth. She peered over her screen at him after a moment, feigning shyness, but he knew better.

"Hi," she whispered, a little nervous laugh making its way up from low in her throat.

"Ignore me, won't you?" Percy teased and leaned over the table, closer to her, all of her. The glint came back in her eyes and Percy immediately knew she was up to no good. And he loved it, he loved this side of her, he loved that _he_ brought it out of her, he loved that she was with him here and that she had chose this place, next to him, out of all the places she could have gone, he loved that she'd chosen to be distracted by him, _only him_ , instead of actually getting work done.

Her pink tongue darted out and once more, she had stuck her tongue out at him like an immature child. Percy knew, knew she was testing the waters, was testing his former threat about teasing him with that sinful rosy mouth of hers. She was flipping the tables on him, challenging him to keep up his promise. There was a moment of silence, grey eyes staring into sea green, and then all chaos unleashed. Percy stood up and slammed his palm on the table. Without a warning, he scraped his chair back, all hell breaking loose.

Annabeth nimbly jumped up from her seat and let go of a breathy giggle, excitement radiating off her. She darted through his apartment, abandoning her heels and skidding across kitchen tiles and hardwood floor in her sheer tights. Percy had abandoned his shoes as well, sliding after her in socks. She could not stop laughing for the life of her and it made her stomach hurt as she gleefully tried to escape Percy's pursuit. Percy smiled dazedly to himself; she was the fucking sun when she laughed like that and he felt like a teenager once more, diving headfirst into some crazy adventure. Annabeth squealed, pulling him out of his admiration and focusing on catching up with her first.

Her blazer flaps had opened and flew behind her as she made her way around his apartment, slowly running out of breath.

"No, Seaweed Brain, oh my god!" she shrieked delightfully as he cornered her into a hallway. "That's not fair, you know your apartment better than I do!" Annabeth accused, but she was laughing so hard, it was hard to take her seriously. She jumped off the couch cushions, grinning madly.

"Should've thought about that before you started playing games," Percy teased, backing her into a door.

"No- _PERSEUS!"_ She burst out laughing as he tickled her relentlessly, trying to push him away but slowly losing her strength to his torture. "Stop, stop, _stop!"_ Annabeth pleaded for mercy, howling from laughter.

Percy momentarily paused. "Do you surrender?" he cocked his head to one side, beaming.

"Never!" Annabeth gasped, breathless, face bright and… young. Percy couldn't think of another way to describe it: she just looked so carefree, so angelic. He wanted to kiss her senseless and he could, she was here in his apartment, just the two of them. But he didn't want to push himself onto her, he wanted to know she wanted him just as much as he wanted her. Annabeth seemed to sense the shift in his mood and she looked up at him expectantly, parting her lips. That was all the invitation he needed.

Percy pressed her against the door to his bedroom and captured her lips with his, his breathing suddenly ragged and unstable. Annabeth was trembling under him and he knew he should stop. This was all too much, it was all he'd ever wanted but it was too much and it'd been so long since she'd let him hold her like this. He pressed his hand against the door behind them, only that brought him closer to her and she was so intoxicating. The green-eyed boy drew away, only for a second, but-

"Don't stop," she murmured, cracking her eyes open the slightest when he stopped if only to look upon him. And then he threw caution to the wind, scooping her up in his arms recklessly. Annabeth wrapped her legs around his waist, pulling him flush against her by the front of his shirt.

With her hands tangled in his hair and his heart threatening to beat out of his chest, Percy struggled to locate the doorknob behind her, fumbling against the dark wood. She didn't allow him even a second to glance down and find it as she clung onto him desperately. Percy was once again reminded of being a teenager as he kissed her, or, in layman's terms, ' _made out'_ with her.

Finally getting a handle on the doorknob, Percy roughly shoved the door open, not sparing even a second of lost contact with Annabeth. He haphazardly slammed the door shut behind them and gently tossed her onto the bed. The blonde shrieked in surprise, glaring up at him and therefore, giving him a moment to soak in all her glory. Her hair was frizzier now, her cheeks were flushed pink, her lips were slightly swollen and red. She crossed her arms over her chest, pouting from being dumped onto his bed carelessly, and Percy thought he was going to have a stroke right then and there.

"Don't you dare leave me like this," Annabeth narrowed her eyes at him, scowling deeply and Percy had to laugh.

"I thought you were ignoring me," he tormented her by purposefully not coming any closer.

"C'mere," she grumbled so softly that he pretended he hadn't heard her.

"I'm sorry, did you just ask for me to come over there?" Percy inquired, feigning innocence.

"For fuck's sake, Jackson, the hell do you want?" Annabeth groaned and fell back onto the bed, shielding her eyes with the crook of her elbow.

"You're going to tell me what you want." He shrugged casually, though he knew it was anything but. In truth, he wanted to jump her right then and there. He soaked in her appearance, sucking in a sharp breath. Her blazer was bunched up at her elbows, completely fallen off at her shoulders. Her button down was wrinkled with the first buttons undone, revealing the delicate flesh of her collarbone. He wanted to mark that skin, leave a piece of him behind with her so that she could carry something on her to represent the heart she'd stolen from him. And her pencil skirt, risen up to her thighs- incriminating evidence of their actions- it brought out something feral in him. Percy practiced self control and grit his teeth. Annabeth sat up, only to scrutinize him darkly. Percy smiled sweetly, evoking more groans of protest from her. When she made no effort to ask for him, Percy slowly turned to walk away. "Your loss," he chuckled, reaching for the doorknob. He knew she was watching him carefully, in that way she did with big, intelligent and beautiful eyes. Painstakingly slow, he turned the knob a crack of the way to the right-

"Wait!" Annabeth interrupted, desperate to get her fix of Perseus Jackson. She jumped up from the bed, reaching out for him. He turned to look at her with thinly veiled amusement and said nothing. Annabeth licked her lips, scanning around the room desperately in a poor effort to keep him from leaving her in this state.

"Don't go." It was a serious blow to her pride, but it was a small price to pay if it meant she could feel his lips on hers again, his velvet tongue caressing hers so perfectly.

Percy raised one eyebrow at her bold statement, crossing his arms over his own chest and leaning back against the door, stating a silent question: _why not?_ He waited patiently for her to continue.

"I want you," she choked out, scrunching up her fists by her sides nervously.

He couldn't help it: he grinned victoriously. "Oh, you do?" he nudged her. "Want me to do what?" he stalked closer to her, his lips mere inches away from hers, so _tantalizingly_ close that it physically hurt her. Percy gazed upon her through half-lidded eyes and dark eyelashes. He pressed a small butterfly kiss against the pulse point on her neck, making her whimper miserably.

"Please, Percy," her eyes fluttered shut, her breathing uneven.

"Please?" he didn't back down. She was going to have to beg for it.

Annabeth squeezed her eyes shut in frustration and snapped her head up to glower at him. "Fuck me," she spat.

Percy snorted. "No can do. Try again and _nicely_ , princess," he smirked.

Annabeth rolled her eyes, frustrated in more ways than one. She shivered involuntarily. "Please Percy," the way she said his name, her lips curving around the two syllables, it undid something within him. " _Please_ fu-"

But she never got to finish her sentence because in one swift motion, he captured her lips, covering her mouth with his and eliciting a low moan from her. Annabeth felt her knees buckling beneath her and desperately reached forward for something to hold onto. She found the edge of the bed and she leaned back against it, attempting to stabilize herself. She sighed as his tongue flicked over her collarbone- gleaming with sweat on the base of her neck, her chest heaving. The blonde could feel the heat of his breath on her, the roughness of his calloused fingers, and the rumble of his voice. Her head was swimming as she momentarily allowed her eyes to flutter shut, Percy easing her onto the bed.

Percy shuddered at her touch, not one for the feeling of fingertips gliding across his smooth skin, not since Gabe, but it felt different this time. His mind did not cloud with the inevitable darkness as her nails dug into his back, surely leaving crescents to remind him the next morning. His teeth grazed along her inner thigh, nipping at her velvet skin. And when her eyes finally met his, the ocean raging against steely, shimmering silver, he lost control.

...

Sated and spent, they'd spent about half an hour just lying around. Percy was pretty sure that this was the longest amount of time Annabeth had gone in his presence without even a hint of work. Of course, it was at that exact moment that she decided to shatter any hope of her relaxing.

"I should probably go back to work," Annabeth spoke up thoughtfully. Percy glanced at the clock and then just stared at her. It was midnight, she couldn't be serious. Unfortunately, he knew that she was _just_ that dedicated and unreasonable. She'd kill herself for that job.

"You don't have to work," Percy joked, peppering kisses down her neck.

She rolled her eyes. "How else am I going to earn money, Seaweed Brain? I don't know if you've noticed, but money doesn't grow on trees." He caressed her cheek so easily, cupping her jaw in his palm and pressing a chaste kiss to her lips.

"You don't have to worry about money either," Percy frowned then, looking at her, troubled. Annabeth's own eyebrows pinched together.

"What are you saying, Percy?" his name felt too intimate on her lips: it was a mistake she should not have made, not when she felt an argument coming. Percy stiffened at the sound of his name coming from her mouth. It was bitter and _wrong_ , at least now when the tension was rising rapidly.

"You know that if you needed money or… or something, I'd take care of you." It was a quiet confession, but it still struck her down. The room was enveloped in darkness, the night setting upon them, but the moon had come out completely from behind the clouds so that she could still see the shadows cast upon his cheekbones from his curly eyelashes, the tightness of the skin around his mouth and temples, and the visceral color of his eyes.

"I don't need to be taken care of," Annabeth managed to bring herself out of her stunned silence. Percy said nothing, just shot her a pointed look, one that made her feel ashamed with realization. She never took care of herself, always forgoing sleep, not eating for days on end, losing herself in work. Still, she was too stubborn to retract her words.

"I never said you _needed_ it," Percy rephrased after the small silence, hoping to ease her mind. _But I_ want _to take care of you when you need somebody because I… I…_ Percy's mouth pressed into a straight, thin line. _Let me care for you, let me care_ about _you, I cannot bear to see you suffer._ Annabeth absentmindedly recalled around a week ago when she'd practically had a mental breakdown, glass shards coating Percy's kitchen tiles and her own hands, slick with dark blood. She remembered the way he had coaxed her to bed then, wrapping her hands and wiping her face dry of tears, tears she hadn't even realized she'd shed.

Maybe it was because of the shadow that passed over his face, the concerned expression she had grown all too familiar with, or because she was reminded of what had started their little game of tag around the apartment in the first place- his attempt for her to get some rest, but she said no more, simply throwing his side of the comforter open as an invite and laid back down without another word. Annabeth didn't understand him sometimes, she knew as much. When he crawled into the bed with her, not touching her until she curled up into him and gave him clear permission, she finally succumbed to much needed sleep.

 **A/N: I kid you not, I had to draw like 5 family trees to figure out the Thalia and Annabeth relationship. I was messing around with steps and halfs and trying to figure out what's actually truly related by blood and what's not. And now my head hurts XD. I feel ya, Perce.**

 **Thanks for such thoughtful, well-written reviews last chapter. I really wasn't expecting that and I was hating myself for writing such a terrible chapter and posting so late. I tried to make a longer chapter to make up for it, but I'm not sure how well that worked out.**

 **[PS: From now on, I'm going to try and answer all reviews via PM (except for those users who disabled that ability and/or my response is only one sentence) because it bothers me that my review responses lengthen my chapter by word count, but don't accurately represent the true length, therefore giving you all false expectations].**

* * *

 **maximaxps: Yeah, sorry homie. I haven't really gotten the time to write lately and so as many of you have probably noticed, I've kind of abandoned my once every two weeks posting schedule. Life's just not really my fan right now, ya know? I hope that the last chapter was okay and wasn't** _ **too**_ **disappointing after the long wait.**

 **Percabeth824: I hope so too.**


	31. Fatal Flaws

**A/N: Just a heads up- there's 5 chapters left, including this one. Also, imma be honest. I did not even reread this and I just wrote it all today. Responsible, I know. :P**

 **Also, totally unrelated, but I wrote a short one shot called** _ **The Second Big Bang**_ **. It's also a Percabeth, mortal AU, so I figured some of you may be interested if you already enjoy my writing style. Obviously you don't have to read it or anything lol, but do with that information as you will.**

 **Disclaimer: All rights remain. Additionally, a passage is taken from** _ **The Raven**_ **by Edgar Allan Poe. Also, the part at the very end of the chapter is inspired from a scene from** _ **Lord of Shadows**_ **by Cassandra Clare. (If you can't tell from how many times I've mentioned her, she's my favorite author for YA, fictional/fantasy kind of books. Like the whole HP, Divergent, PJO, Hunger Games, Throne of Glass, Maze Runner genre.)**

 ****WARNING: Just like last time, if you're trying to avoid the more lemony bits, just skip the last scene.**

 _Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered, weak and weary,_

 _Over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore—_

 _While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping,_

 _As of someone gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door._

" _Tis some visitor," I muttered, "tapping at my chamber door—_

 _Only this and nothing more."_

Murmuring something about a _dreary December,_ Piper jolted awake at the sudden knock at her front door. She squinted blindly at the speaker in front of her and rubbed her face tiredly. Why the fuck was she waking up to some creepy guy's voice and why was he reciting some of Annabeth's lameass poetry? Her mouth twisted down and she shuddered before shutting off the speaker. Annabeth had strange interests. As another knock came from the front door, the reverie evaporated.

Forcing herself to move, Piper pulled a scrunchie out of her hair and allowed the luscious locks sitting atop her head to cascade down much like the notorious chocolate waterfall in _Charlie and the Chocolate Factory._ She trudged tiredly to the front door, hardly bothering too peer out the peephole, despite Annabeth's past chastising echoing in her head. The feather in her hair had somehow stayed put, much to Piper's surprise, as she tugged the door open.

Piper stared blankly at the sight in front of her. And stared. And stared. She was sure she was making him uncomfortable, but she didn't seem to be able to stop.

The urge to slam the door on his face was so great that it was suffocating her. Pressing her lips in a thin, unyielding line, she resisted her childish compulsions. Still, she did not look him in the eye.

"What do you want?" exasperation bled through, but not anger- perhaps she was too exhausted to be annoyed.

"I want to talk," Jason Grace's voice was gentle and strangely vulnerable. Piper's eyes softened and she cracked the front door open just a little bit more.

"Maybe you should come in," she suggested, ignoring the look of astonishment that crossed over his face. Didn't he know, no matter what happened, he was always welcome here?

"I want to try again," he ventured as soon as they had settled into her couch, Piper wrapped in blankets comfortably. Jason sat with his back apart from back of the couch, his spine straight, formal, and overall awkward. Piper couldn't help but examine his body language as he stayed there, a habit she'd had for a while and acquired a long time ago.

"Nothing's changed, Jason," the Cherokee girl reasoned, her kaleidoscope eyes particularly shades of sad greens, blues, and greys. She glanced at him mournfully, her mouth turned down at the corners.

"I've changed," he challenged her statement. "I've changed a great deal."

"But it's only been a few weeks, not even," Piper refuted his argument. "I haven't even gotten over it," she admitted, ever the open person. Little did she know that Annabeth envied her ability to honestly speak her emotions and describe her feelings easily without a trace of guilt or mockery.

Jason didn't look like how he always did, that had been the first thing she'd noticed, that and the way his eyes had softened at the feathers in her hair. Today the feathers were blue and white. Jason's stark blonde hair was disheveled, which was very unlike him. In all the years Piper had known Jason, a day didn't pass where he wasn't put together, prim and proper.

His shirt had a long crease in the front, even though he usually was very particular about ironing his clothing and wearing clean outfits. Jason even had a laundry schedule and rules to how many times he could wear certain attire before he had to wash it, Piper knew. Not to mention, his specifics for washing certain clothes… that was an entirely different list. Piper supposed that was one of the reason he and Annabeth got along so well. Jason's sleeves were also rolled up unevenly. His left forearm cuff was neat, but his right forearm cuff wasn't even close to matching. His entire appearance was very concerning to her and only added to the feeling that this whole conversation was very out of place with them.

After a moment of silence Jason murmured, "me too." He mumbled it so quietly Piper barely heard him. Sure, he'd always been soft spoken, but still his tone had a certain strength to it, the strength of a natural born leader. It seemed Piper wasn't the only one out of commission. But they'd brought this upon themselves, they had to remember.

"I made a mistake," he began instead. That was one way he and Annabeth differed. Jason had no issue owning up to his mistakes, something Piper often found herself bickering with her blonde best friend about. The brunette said nothing, silently urging him to continue. "I understand where you came from, I understand why you were angry," he assured, though it seemed like he was convincing himself more than her.

"It's just a different way of ranking priorities and I now recognize that you prioritize things a little bit differently than I do," Jason explained. "To you, people matter the most. People you know and love, to be specific. For you, if in a situation where two people are head to head, in this case it was you and the disrespectful man in the grocery store, you believe that you stick up for the person you know and love, even if you know they're wrong. Because to you, right and wrong don't hold priority over loyalty for loved ones," Jason concluded, carefully picking each and every one of his words.

Piper felt the irrational need to cry: this was the exact reason she'd missed him so much and the exact reason she'd initially fallen in love with him. To be understood by him, it was a refreshing change. She nodded mutely, not trusting her ability to speak without bursting into tears. The past few weeks had been rough for her, to say the least.

Jason's hand reached out for her, a gesture that was so familiar that the sob in her chest rose up to her throat, threatening to spill out. His hand hovered over her smaller one, before he remember where they were and _how_ they were right now. He then retracted it reluctantly, not meeting her eyes. Piper too used to hold his hand for comfort, reassurance. It was a luxury neither of them could indulge in, not anymore.

"It's the same for me," Piper half-choked out after a beat. The silence only made her throat tighten faster, so she felt the desperate need to interrupt the walls from closing in on her. "You don't see it the same way I do," she began, but he flinched. "And that's fine, I understand," she amended, relishing the way his body visibly relaxed. "You like to assess situations first. People matter to you too, but you've always been a strong advocate of what's right and what's wrong," Piper decided. The blond slowly nodded.

"So is it over, then? Is this whole situation figured out?" Jason faltered, testing the waters cautiously.

Reluctantly, Piper shook her head no. Jason's face fell and she felt something crack inside of her. Jason had always been rather stoic and to see him bare his emotions like he would his scars, it ripped her heart right out of her.

"Just because we understand… each other's perspectives doesn't mean that we have some sort of compromise. I just don't want to end up in the same place all over again in two months, you know?" she confessed. His expression was somber, but agreeable.

"I'm sorry I'm so… tempted to deliberate everything," Jason disclosed. "It's a habit," he explained, taking his time. Piper had always liked that: he took his time, never hasty to get a job done. If he was going to do it, he'd do it right. She watched the way the scar on his upper lip moved when he spoke, unable to help herself from staring. She remembered all too well what it felt like to trace that scar and kiss him when nobody was looking; Jason had always been the private type. For the first time in forever, he stumbled over his words: "You a-always come first for me. I'm sorry it didn't seem like that."

"I'm sorry that you think you need to assure me of that," Piper interjected as he stared solemnly at his hands clasped together. "I'm sorry I have such a low self esteem," her honesty was brutal. "You shouldn't be responsible for my burdens and I'm trying, I- I really am," tears finally welled up in her eyes. She saw him shift towards her, ready to comfort her as always, but she shook her head mournfully. She could do this, she knew she could, but if he enveloped her in his fresh, summer scent, she'd break down in a heaping mess.

"I've been broken for years," she confided, and the words hurt to say, though the words were true and honest. Maybe because they were true and honest. "But it's not your fault, it's mine," she sniffled. Her fatal flaw had always been her inferiority complex, her feeling of never being good enough, of never being enough period, of being unworthy, of being unloved.

It only increased when she was alone and without him beside her, she might have felt worse than she by his side, but there was room to grow. With him, Piper would have never known what it felt like to be on her own. It was difficult, she wasn't going to lie, but she could feel the healing, healing she'd been waiting for a long time.

The problem had never been him, not to her. Sure, his temptation to deliberate was bound to get him in trouble soon enough, it was _his_ fatal flaw, but it did not affect her too badly. Only in the few moments that it did (read: the moment that caused them to break up), it was only a dull throb in her chest in comparison to Piper's daily pain. She had to get better, she simply had to. And maybe they'd work it out.

This wasn't about him. Before she could love anybody else, she had to love herself first. It was a long road, but Piper knew Jason wasn't going anywhere anytime soon, he'd stand by her even if he couldn't help glue back together her shards by himself every single time. She loved that about him, loved that he loved to help others, that he was always eager to put her back together, to care for her and everyone around him. But this wasn't his journey; it was hers.

And Piper could already see the light at the end of the tunnel. They sat in silence for a while before Piper took his hand, squeezing it gently. Jason glanced up at her in surprise. It was a gesture that something new was coming, something better and that they were in this together, in this new era.

Things could only go up from here.

* * *

Annabeth slipped into the dark room, barely a whisper. A lovely feminine voice floated above the room, thick like golden honey and sweet like dark maple syrup. If Annabeth wasn't so accustomed to solely Percy's voice in his recording booth, she might have found some comfort in the luscious voice, perhaps even going so far as to reveling in the carefully controlled vocals. Obviously, the situation was anything but.

Annabeth stiffened at the second voice as it harmonized with a piano, easily climbing up scales like an acrobat. The blonde supposed that she should've been ecstatic for his sake; this would only promote him more, attracting a larger fanbase and allowing him to gain more traction. Instead, she was burdened with this alien feeling of a lingering green-eyed monster. The feeling was not welcome to say the least.

Maybe if Drew was a bit better, Annabeth could have accepted it more. If she was kind, polite, and professional, perhaps Annabeth would have respected Miss Tanaka more. Annabeth couldn't fight the feeling that Drew was doing this to spite her, though she knew it was a completely irrational thought. Firstly there was that small fact she'd already told herself a million times: Percy wasn't her boyfriend. Second, it was no secret that Perseus Jackson was an exquisite piece of eye-candy. How could she blame for Drew wanting to have that on her arm at all times? Moreover how could Annabeth blame the glossy, dark-haired girl for being impolite when Annabeth tended to be snarky at her best? She couldn't hate Drew's voice- which was absolutely entrancing- and then there was the tiny fact that the half-Japanese girl was drop-dead gorgeous, probably as beautiful as Piper McLean.

The feeling of jealousy had only heightened when she'd logged onto her laptop back in her office only to come face to face with tabloids and other _reliable_ resources, Percy's face plastered over all of them next to _her_ name. It was unfamiliar for sure. Annabeth had never had to even acknowledge another person's existence, much less Hollywood heartthrob and pop princess, Drew Tanaka. Unfortunately for her, she couldn't complain to much seeing as Athena was absolutely thrilled upon seeing Drew in the papers beside her own client. To Ms. Stone, it was the perfect opportunity to launch more of Percy's social life to the public and stir up more attention towards him and his album. Annabeth could never reveal just how she seethed at the mere thought if it was the sole thing keeping her mother from snapping at her. She refused to be responsible for Athena's sour mood, though she supposed her own birth had launched the sour mood in the first place.

Nevertheless, Annabeth had to simply bite her tongue and play the part of a supporting manager for Percy. It wasn't his fault he was recording with Drew (it had been Athena's idea) and he seemed to be doing just fine. Though Annabeth would never force him to do something, she knew that if he realized how she felt he would most likely cut it off with Drew and she wasn't sure she could bear a burden like that.

Now she sat on the dark leather couch where she had been so long ago, patiently awaiting Percy's presence, standing by as he recorded and praying he would be done soon. Not only was she (much against her will) eager to get Drew out of that booth, but Athena had convinced (read: forced) her to talk Percy into dating Drew, hiding it in public for a couple weeks, and then outing it to the public. Annabeth wasn't quite positive she'd ever been this embarrassed in her entire life, except for perhaps that one time he found her hiding underneath his desk like a perfect little stalker.

As she waited out the seat outside, she absentmindedly wondered if Drew was feeling Percy up in that recording booth, if she was flicking her black hair back like she always did, if her winged-eyeliner intimidated the stupid Seaweed Brain, or if he found her endearing and attractive. Hell, _Annabeth_ found her attractive, but that didn't mean she had to like it. She felt like a child, pondering over such high-school, arbitrary features. None of this bullshit even mattered.

After what felt like an eternity (but was hardly five minutes), the two of them exited the booth, Drew's face flushed in all the right ways. Annabeth stared at the homescreen of her phone, pretending that she was knee-deep in work. She glanced up, feigning surprise at their entrance, and did her best to avoid Percy's eye contact, instead investing herself again in the blank screen as Drew promptly pressed a crimson kiss to Percy's cheek. She felt his green-eyed gaze on her, but stubbornly pursed her lips, her grey eyes glued to the bright phone in front of her. She resisted the urge to roll her eyes as Drew bid him goodbye before strutting out of the room. (How she walked in those shoes, Annabeth figured she would never know.) She still didn't look up, not even when Percy slid onto the couch next to her, threatening to choke her with his proximity.

"So what's up?" Percy asked her coolly. Annabeth fucking hated his tone, she despised he could so casually speak to her after that shitshow. She hated that his eyes were so beautiful, she hated that mischievous smirk he got, and the salt ocean scent that followed him around everywhere. She hated that he was so okay with everything; it was driving her crazy.

"The ceiling," she replied snippily, causing Percy to raise an eyebrow at her in surprise.

"Annabeth," he began patiently and she only felt more infuriated when her true name fell from his lips. That's another she hated: the way her name sounded from him. It wasn't as harsh as she was used to being it uttered. It was sweet, sometimes exasperated, but always kind. Her disdain for him increased and Annabeth wrinkled her nose at her phone, randomly typing things in a spreadsheet now that Percy was over her shoulder and the homescreen wouldn't fool him any longer.

"You're clearly here, waiting for me, for a reason," Percy pointed out reasonably. "So what's going on?"

"Athena wanted me to talk to you," Annabeth waved away his serious tone even if it _was_ serious, at least to her. She swallowed hard, not looking up still.

"Alright," his voice was even and cautious. "Shoot." He spread his arms. It was such a familiar gesture that Annabeth felt herself deliberately pulling away from him before she fell in his trap (though she suspected she was already far past the point of no return) and sobbed hysterically, like a mad woman. She was a reasonable adult and she could get through one damn conversation without being stupid.

"How are you doing with Drew?" she began carefully, not wanting to outright tell him to date Drew. (Even if it killed her, Athena would kill her more.) Business before pleasure, always.

Percy's eyebrows furrowed together in confusion: he hadn't been expecting that to be the first thing to come out of her mouth. And would she please look at him? His favorite part of the day was looking at those hurricane eyes. He mildly pondered if they would ever name a hurricane with her name: Hurricane Annabeth. He knew firsthand she could do some serious destruction.

"It's going… okay, I guess," he decided slowly.

"Just okay?" Annabeth kept her voice even, refusing to let any emotion bleed through.

"Um… good, then," Percy corrected his previous statement. "Annabeth, what does this have to do with anything? Is there a point to this conversation or… or is this just your awkward way of finding a reason to talk to me?" He smiled sideways at the end as he teased her, a goofy little grin enveloping him- one she'd come to adore- but it only shattered her now.

"Athena thinks you should date her," Annabeth spit it out, scrolling a little lower on the screen.

Percy's lips parted in surprise. "What?" he choked out, attempting to collect himself.

This time Annabeth did roll her eyes. "Date, Seaweed Brain. You know, girlfriend and boyfriend, sickeningly sweet PDA, having lunches together, etc." She was being a smartass as a defensive move, Annabeth was well aware, but she couldn't help it.

There was a pause and then, "we have lunch together sometimes." His voice was soft and it caught Annabeth off guard.

"I suppose we do," Annabeth's voice was odd. Percy said nothing, quietly clasping his hands together in his lap and so Annabeth continued. "That's good then. You'll be prepared for lunches with Drew Tanaka."

"I'm not much of a conversationalist," Percy retorted suggestively and Annabeth stiffened once more.

"Perseus, be serious," she demanded darkly, glowering.

"I am being serious," he protested. "Are you serious right now? Why would I ever date her, that'd be so fucking weird."

"It's good for the press," Annabeth mentioned offhandedly, shrugging slightly.

"Annabeth," he tried to stare her down, but it was to no avail. "Look at me." She didn't budge, not until he cupped her face in his calloused palm and looked her in the eye. Annabeth's breath hitched, so she pinched her eyebrows down and glared at him.

"I'm busy."

"No, you're not," Percy contradicted her, but he didn't stop her when she jerked out of his hold and frowned at her screen. "What do you think of Athena's proposal?" he tried another tactic.

"I think Athena's very intelligent," Annabeth danced around the question.

"Stop it, Annabeth," Percy frowned himself. "You know that's not what I'm asking. I didn't ask what you think of Athena. I asked what you think of her suggestion."

"I think she knows what she's doing and she probably knows what's best for you," Annabeth voiced, colder than she'd intended.

He ignored her answer. "Annabeth, do you want me to date Drew?"

Silence.

"Don't be like that, Wise Girl." The nickname stole the breath right out of her lungs. She didn't budge still. "Don't do that thing where you shut everyone out, where you don't say what you think."

Again he was met with silence until…

"Look, I have to go." Annabeth rose to leave, tucking her phone in her back pocket carefully and pursing her lips at the carpeted floor. She knew if she looked into his eyes, there was no going back, no hiding. "I've said all I came to tell you."

"Annabeth-"

"Don't call me that!" she snapped, backing away from him and heading for the door. Immediately, her head swam with memories and she felt like she was walking away from _everything._

The couch haunted her with memories of her shrieking over a spider and him laughing, only to follow up his amusement with a raw, somber statement that his fears were less conventional than most. The microphone in the glass booth called to mind the first time she'd heard him sing and he'd found her quietly crying for no reason. The darkness of the room reminded her of the club where he'd knocked Luke bloody for her. The watch on her wrist, the one Piper had given her, it made her recall the time Percy and Piper had met her in the hospital, and the first time she'd ever seen Percy cry, cry over her. The glass of water on the coffee table emphasized the time they'd gone swimming with the dolphins and running from authority, half-dressed and sopping wet.

The door reminded her of the time they'd screamed at each other over pictures of him entering the hospital with flowers had found its way into the media, and then he'd pressed her against the door and kissed her until she couldn't breathe, only for her to walk away. The silky silver fabric of her blazer called attention to the business music festival, where they had both gotten wasted and gotten more intimate than before, before he'd called an uber and went home, but not before Annabeth caught a glimpse of a bruise. The next day she'd found out about Gabe and he'd slept beside her, staying the night, so they shared breakfast the next day with a side of witty banter. Annabeth had then spoke with Malcolm, her real family, and then the following New Year's, she'd spent her night on a balcony beside Percy, talking about the expert bullshittery that was New Year's resolutions and God, who, should he exist, didn't seem to care about them at all.

The yellow flowers on the coffee table reminded her of the blue hydrangeas Annabeth had comforted Percy over. That very night, she'd spent it in his hotel room, curled up into his side with his arm over her waist- a comforting weight. Her phone had her recall when Percy had her phone and had promptly broken it, dropping it in water, only to rush to his friend Leo to get it hastily fixed. The box of tissues haunted her with memories of Percy calling in 'sick' and her running to his apartment to save him from his torturer. The empty cup of coffee brought back the time when she'd dropped the cup in his apartment and he'd bandaged her up, helping her get a good night's sleep after her mental breakdown. The next time she'd come to his apartment, he'd had his wicked way with her and it had been so much _fun_ , just being next to him, being pulled along on his spontaneous adventures, his warm hand in hers the entire way.

It had all been one big journey with him and it was too much to walk away now: from business partners, to acquaintances, to friends, to… whatever this was (fuck buddies was much too vulgar and not emotional enough for the connection they had.)

"What should I call you then?" Percy stood up too, moving over to her and effectively dragging Annabeth away from her memories. "That's your name, after all." His eyes challenged hers, but she did not break. For once, Annabeth was not tearing at the seams.

Yet she didn't feel strong either.

She'd gotten so used to her strength truly being present only when he was standing next to her.

Annabeth pressed her lips together in a thin, straight line, not answering his ridiculous question. "Just think about it. If you're going to date her, you'd better tell my mother so that she can help you to not make a fool of yourself," the blonde finished curtly, ignoring that it used to be her who watched over him, who kept him from 'making a fool of himself,' thought that was nothing more than an inside joke shared between the both of them.

Now Percy's eyes flashed angrily and Annabeth's heart stuttered; never before had she seen him look so angry at… _her._ It was a face he only reserved for assholes, for people he despised, at least, that's what she'd figured. It was sort of terrifying, if she was being completely honest, even though she knew he would never dare hurt her, not on purpose. (The time he accidentally knocked her with his arm and then hugged her for half an hour, apologizing profusely despite her laughs didn't count.)

"If you're upset, why can't you just admit it?" he demanded, swiftly taking her wrist in his hand.

"I'm not upset," Annabeth was lying through her teeth.

"You are too," he accused. "Are you… are you jealous?" his tone was unreadable, but his face was that of incredulity.

"No!" Annabeth refused, much too quickly. Her face burned hot, only supporting his guess.

"Seriously?" Percy didn't bother to hide his surprise. His anger had faded just as quickly as it had come.

" _No!"_ she reiterated, her eyebrows furrowing together. "I'm not fucking jealous," she spat.

"I think you are."

"Am not!"

Percy stared at her blankly, not saying much of anything. So naturally, Annabeth turned and walked away. What she didn't bargain for, was for him to go with her.

* * *

"You're jealous," Percy walked beside her, shaking his head to himself. Annabeth was heading home, walking at that. The work day was over and he knew she just wanted to distance herself from him, but he would not let the subject drop. It blasted her pride to bits, he knew that too, to hear such truth from him.

"So what if I am?" Annabeth quipped, heels clicking as she walked down the street.

"It's just… funny," Percy claimed after a few moments of silence.

"Funny?" Annabeth glared at him, his blood freezing at her look. If looks could kill, he supposed Annabeth would have been a serial killer by now. "I hardly think so."

"It is," he reasoned. "How could you be jealous of her? How could you think I would _ever_ date her?"

"Because if you know what's good for your image, you would," Annabeth concluded coolly.

"C'mon, Annabeth. I literally spent the other night with you. Isn't that enough proof for you?" Percy explained, exasperated.

"I'm not even mad at you!" she groaned, roughly carding her fingers through her curly locks. "Why can't you just let this go?"

"I'm not letting you go," Percy commented indignantly.

"That's not what I said," Annabeth fired back, fumbling with her apartment keys and shoving the door open. Percy closed it behind the both of them as she dumped her purse and briefcase onto her kitchen counter.

" _Annabeth_."

Shivers went down her spine, Percy saw her struggle with it.

"Annabeth," there it was again, "I just sang with her, I swear."

"I already said, I'm not mad at you," she promised, and he supposed she wasn't. The blonde kicked her heels off and carefully discarded the black pumps near the front door. Percy followed in suit, slipping off his shoes.

"Then why are you so angry?" he countered.

"I'm mad at her," Annabeth acquiesced, crinkling her nose. "She fucking kissed your cheek, the bitch."

Percy smirked, he couldn't help it. This whole situation was just so ridiculous: Drew didn't even come _close_ to Annabeth. Annabeth was it for him, with her golden hair and steely eyes, she'd stolen his soul and he didn't think he'd ever get it back in the same condition it was previously. Percy basked in the silence and watched as Annabeth uncomfortably squirmed.

"Seaweed Brain," Annabeth sighed. "Say something, please-"

His hands tightened convulsively on her shoulders. She gasped as his body collided with hers, walking her backward until her shoulders hit the wall. She gazed up at him with obvious astonishment; he could see his face reflected in her dark charcoal irises. He barely recognized himself, and his voice sounded strange when he spoke, even to his own ears: "You're impossible."

"Percy," she groaned out. Percy shut his eyes, his skin tingling at his name on her lips like that. He reveled in that sound, not overly sweet like Drew's, but just rough enough to be Annabeth's. He inhaled sharply. It seemed Annabeth wasn't the only one vulnerable to hearing her own first name from the other.

"Say that again," he requested softly.

"Percy," she whispered, fluttering her eyelashes coyly, and he was rewarded with a tiny mischievous smile.

"Oh _hell_ ," Percy sucked the sensitive spot behind her ear and Annabeth gasped out, her knees going weak and buckling beneath her. He took her mouth with a hard, violent desperation that could hardly be called a kiss.

Every muscle in his body seemed to contract at once: the kiss filled all his senses, softness, sweetness, the scent of her hair and skin, the sight of her closed eyes, the flutter of her lashes. Annabeth. His Annabeth. And she was clutching him back, she was holding him to her, hard, giving back every part of the kiss. He felt a moan rise in his throat and forced it back down; Annabeth knew this was a bad idea, she was often the sensible one (except for now, what with her jealousy), and some part of his brain was telling him that if he could hide how much he wanted her, how much he would give up to have this, she would let it continue. Let them both take part in this colossal mistake that was all that was keeping his heart beating.

Her hands rose, touched the back of his neck. Her fingers were long: her fingertips scraped gently across the soft skin above the collar of his shirt and he shuddered with the effort not to lose control right then and there. She reached to yank his sweater over his head, dragging it off over his hands.

She reached for his t-shirt next, then hesitated. His heart slammed against his ribs. Please let it be that she didn't want to stop. Please let her keep wanting him. Her lips parted as she looked up at him.

He put his hands on her waist. He loved holding her like this, as if he were about to lift her in his arms, as if they were dancing. He heard her breathing quicken. She gave a little gasping moan and her head fell back against the wall.

Desire and triumph shot through him at once, a heady combination. Their first time had been an explosion of wanting and instinct; he had taken away from it no confidence that he could reliably please her. Every quickened breath she took now was like a match to dry tinder; he hadn't thought he could want her more, but the fire coursing through him made him unable to think of anything but her.

He kissed her deeply; she murmured against his mouth, her hands on his back, pulling him closer. Annabeth arched against him, against his body that ached and wanted her; he could hear his voice, saying her name, and he had to force himself not to beg her to tell him she loved him, that she wanted him.

Percy buried his face against her, kissing her cheek, her throat as he slid his thumbs under the waistband of her skirt and pushed down. She kicked the heap of cloth away. His hands tightened on her curves, the delicate convexity of hip bones under his fingers, something unbearably intimate in the contact. When she turned her head to the side and kissed his palm, he wanted to scream.

He reached down, grabbed the hem of his shirt, dragged it off. Her hands stroked his collarbone, brushed across his bare skin. When her fingers found his scars and traced its contours, the rush of blood made him dizzy.

Percy couldn't stand it. There was something about her fingertips on the scars that was driving him out of his mind; he caught her by the wrist, drew her hand away and brought it to his bare chest, splaying her fingers over his heart. It was a small gesture, but she understood immediately: he was giving her permission to break his heart, to love him and to hurt him, even if this wouldn't last forever.

Annabeth reached her arms out for him and he could hear the ache of longing in her voice, a longing that matched his own. "Percy, yes," she said. "Yes."

He caught her, lifted her, pulling her tank top and then blazer up over her head. He pressed his forehead into her shoulder, riding the waves of delight that she wanted him, was touching him, until they began to crest and in fear that it would be over too soon, he drew away abruptly to rid himself of his own clothes.

Then his hands were on her hips; he was lifting her so she was pinned between his body and the wall. They looked at each other for what was probably only a second: it felt like forever.

He bent his head to kiss her with a gentle reverence; he felt her tremble with pleasure; her long legs rose and wrapped themselves around his waist. She urged his face up with her fingers beneath his chin as he held her, hands under her thighs, and she kissed his mouth open, circled his tongue with hers until he could stand it no longer.

She gasped, shuddered, her body hot and soft around him. Her lips parted, her eyes fluttering shut.

He dragged himself back to reality. "You're alright?" he whispered, astonished he could form the words. Annabeth had flinched and it made his heart ache as he realized why she could have flinched. Never had one of their little rendezvous been this emotional. It was a better type of emotion, better than the reason she'd flinched, he knew, but _that_ experience had been emotionally draining too.

Her ankles locked in the small of his back and he nearly blacked out. In turn, he brushed his palm over her left shoulder, making her sigh in relief. Sweat gleamed at her throat, her collarbones. Her voice shook: "Don't stop." Immediately, Percy was taken back to a few weeks earlier, when she had asked the same of him.

She arched against him, her hands reaching back, scrabbling at the wall for something to brace herself. She was saying his name, Percy, Percy, and his hands slid up her spine, cradling her body as he fought for control. The intense sensation of it rose in a spiral with every movement, with each slide of her skin against his. Her breath came in sobbing gasps; her fingers flew to grip his shoulders; he knew he was saying he loved her, over and over and over as she cried out and the pleasure blew apart inside him, searing every nerve in his body.

He sank to his knees, still cradling Annabeth in his arms. There were tears on her face, though he doubted she knew it: she was holding him still; they were holding each other, dazed and exhausted.

Only later would Percy tell her as he brushed her then slightly frizzy curls out of her face, that it was a ridiculous notion for him to be with Drew, no matter what Athena said or anybody else. Only later would he say that Drew didn't have blonde curls he had grown fond of, she didn't have scary gorgeous grey eyes with ashy outlines and lighter shade of silver in the middle. Only later, when he was tangled up under the sheets with her, would he admit that he never got that tingle down his spine when Tanaka looked at him, and that Drew didn't press her mouth tightly in that businesslike, determined look- something he would miss without her.

Only later would he reveal that he didn't ever catch Drew hiding a smile and her shining eyes when she was proud of him, and that he never heard anything other than how godly he looked and how talented he was, and a bunch of other bullshit he didn't need to hear from her. Only later would he concede, tell her that Drew didn't call it like she sees it, he didn't her hear say snarky, yet endearing commentary, that she wasn't a stubborn, badass young woman and damn well _knew_ it.

She didn't know how to touch him (touch was always difficult with him and he knew it forever would be), she wasn't real enough for him. To him, there was no one else, no question about it.

 _Sure,_ she was pretty- he'd have to be blind to miss that miniscule detail- but she wasn't Annabeth fucking Chase. _Sure,_ she was gorgeous, but he didn't love Drew like he loved…

So this was what it was supposed to be like, what kissing was supposed to be like, what _all_ of it was supposed to be like. _This._

 **A/N: You guys are awesome. (But I'm sure you already knew that ;)) I'm pretty sure the last chapter got the most reviews for a single chapter. It's always surreal when I see that you guys favorited/followed me and I'm just on your lists next to like TheWritingManiac, Aria Taylor, Average Canadian, Girlishly Greek, Anaklusmos14, Izzybella12, herecomesthepun, SomethingMoreCreative, Fiction4life101, Just Another Wise Girl, etc. O.o Like those guys are gods wtf am I doing there XD**

 **But I digress. Thank you, seriously; it means the world to me~**


	32. Simply Human Nature

**A/N: *reads so many shitposts that I can no longer discern reality from theories* *looks at deteriorating sanity* *whispers*...top ten saddest anime deaths**

 **Disclaimer: All rights remain. Also, one of Annabeth's dialogues is taken from a tumblr post I suddenly remembered while writing lol. Additionally, one line in the last scene is based off a quote from Clockwork Princess by Cassandra Clare.**

Annabeth couldn't help but imagine an alternate reality as she sat in her office, a world where she and Athena Stone were alike. People already mistook her for her mother- their physical resemblance was uncanny- but sometimes it would be based solely off the way she talked and the way she carried herself. She wondered if she'd be more like Athena if she had not ran into Percy. She wondered if Malcolm would still hang around her if she morphed into that cold-blooded monster. Just the thought of Malcolm caused her talk with him, so long ago in Central Park, to resurface in her memories. He always knew the perfect thing to say. Annabeth frowned to herself; she really should meet up with him again sometime, but as of now, Malcolm was off in Paris on business. At that exact moment, Percy approached her with an easy smile gracing his features, and took a seat in the spinny chair across from her desk.

"Did it hurt?" he began abruptly, effectively breaking the silence.

Annabeth shot him a withering glare. "Let me guess: when I fell from heaven?" she remarked dryly.

"No- did it hurt when you fell for someone as awesome as me?" A smirk ghosted over his lips, inspiring Annabeth to roll her eyes.

"Seaweed Brain," she muttered under her breath, feigning irritation, but even she could not disguise her underlying adoration. She often found herself in similar situations on the daily: Percy casually saying stupid things and then lingering in her office for much too long to remain unsuspicious (not like she could complain much).

" _Wise Girl_ ," Percy scoffed, mocking her tone.

She shook her head in disbelief at him, her gaze returning to her screen as she typed away furiously. "So, what's up?" she finally addressed him, clicking sporadically with her mouse.

He shot her a boyish grin. "I've got candy," Percy whispered, an excited glimmer in his sea green eyes.

Annabeth blinked, not quite sure why she was even surprised with him anymore. She slowly pried her eyes off her screen to look at him incredulously. "Seriously?"

"Seriously," he confirmed. "Want some?" He unfurled his right hand, revealing mini Kit-Kats in all their shiny red, wrapped glory.

"This changes nothing," Annabeth asserted and pursed her lips haughtily, taking the candy from his hand. Sue her for indulging in her favorite candy! The last time he had come in with food, it had been Oreos and Annabeth had chastised him for eating a bunch of junk food, being a typically healthy eater. Percy had shrugged, " _suit yourself",_ and finished the chocolate and cream cookies. Her caving was Percy's biggest victory of the week.

"Of course not," Percy didn't bother to hide his thinly veiled amusement, unwrapping his own candy and breaking it in two. He bit into the chocolate, relishing the satisfying crunch. "You know," he began thoughtfully, "I remember being a candy dealer in elementary school," Percy recalled.

Annabeth looked at him weird. "What?" she laughed in disbelief, her eyebrows furrowing together.

Percy nodded, glancing at the lamp on her desk in deep thought. "One of my elementary schools, they'd banned junk food- some crazy new idea to reduce child obesity or something- and kids were obviously angry, missing all the great joy and purpose of life-"

"-consuming sugar is _not_ the purpose of life, Percy, no matter how good-" Annabeth began to interrupt, only to be cut off by Percy.

"No, no, no, don't interrupt. That's rude, _Annie,_ " Percy teased and Annabeth rolled her eyes as he continued. " _Anyways_ , blah blah blah, they're not truly living life without _Pringles_ and stuff, and so I come to save the day! Obviously," he winked. Cue another eye roll from the blonde, causing Percy to crack a genuine smile. "So I became a junk food dealer, smuggling all types of goodies, like candy, into the school, making money like a beast."

Annabeth laughed. "That is _so_ weird, Perce." Percy was a strange guy, she knew, but somehow it was simultaneously hilarious.

"Says the girl who religiously watched Discovery Channel and _only_ Discovery Channel as a kid," Percy teased, crumpling up the Kit-Kat wrapper in his fist. He threw both of their trash away in the wastebasket near the door. "Besides, kids gave me stuff because of my suave, bad-boy ways. I vividly remember a girl giving me a chocolate chip cookie- the _best_ type of cookie- in fourth grade." A triumphant smile spread across his face.

She snorted. "Oh Seaweed Brain, you were seriously disturbed. Besides, everyone knows that oatmeal raisin cookies are superior."

Percy gasped, horrified, pretending to be beyond insulted. "And I thought you were supposed to be the smart one, Beth," he quipped.

"Oatmeal raisin has the perfect balance of sweet and the touch of cinnamon makes it tastier!" Annabeth defended her opinion, laughing despite it all.

"Chocolate chip is the classic, though!" Percy argued good-naturedly.

"This is ridiculous," she muttered under her breath. "This is why you're such a Seaweed Brain!" the blonde nudged him.

"Excuse me?" he chuckled. "The worst feeling in the world is when you bite into the cookie, only to be disappointed when it's a raisin and not a chocolate chip!" Percy countered, snippily.

Annabeth burst out laughing. "You're the idiot for picking up oatmeal raisin then!" she disagreed. "Seaweed Brain," she taunted, grinning madly.

"Raisins are just dried-up grapes," Percy voiced.

"Wow," Annabeth began, sarcastically. "It's almost like things are made out of other things. Ice is just frozen water. That door is just a wood rectangle. That poster is just ink paper. Lemonade is just lemon water. Tea is just leaf water. Wow, it's like you can combine ingredients and ideas to make things that are more enjoyable than the initial parts of the equation. Sure is a magical world we live in."

Percy couldn't help but laugh at that. "Raisins, more like rai _SINs_ ," he finally concluded. Annabeth stared at him blankly and blinked a couple times.

"Seriously? _That's_ the best you got?" she looked away so he wouldn't see her futile attempt to cover her amusement.

"Hey, don't laugh at me!" he protested, laughing at himself anyways.

"You have to admit, Perce, that was pretty bad," the blonde pointed out, chuckling lightly as she turned back to her laptop. Percy's silence only fueled her delight. "Anyways, did you come here for a reason?" she finally asked, as she always did any time he visited her office.

"Yes, ma'am," confirmed Percy, a lilt in his voice. "Just dropping some work off, madam."

Annabeth rolled her eyes, holding out her hand impatiently. He shook his head, no. Confused, the blonde glanced up to see his notorious smirk. "No flash drive?" she inquired.

"Nope," he said, popping the _p._ "I shared it with you online."

"Online?" Annabeth wasn't so sure about that. She'd always used flash drives, no matter how technology progressed. It was just the way she did things, she wasn't sure if she could handle this new alternative. To an onlooker, it would have been a miniscule change and they might've mistaken Annabeth for being a tad bit dramatic, but to her- a young woman eternally stuck in her ways- it was drastic indeed.

"Flash drives are kinda old," Percy concluded, shrugging. "I think you should seriously consider retiring them. I mean- some of the technology in the building doesn't even _accept_ drives any more, Beth."

"I don't know, Percy…" she began, hesitantly.

"Just try it," he pleaded, smiling at her gently. "If you really loathe it, we'll go back to the way it always is, okay?"

Annabeth stared at his hopeful expression, dread coiling in her stomach. God, she hated change. She was stubborn for a reason, wasn't she? Percy was the only one to successfully encourage her to try new methods, maybe Piper a little. He was just so spontaneous, if you were absolutely against change, it would be impossible to be in his presence _ever._ This new adapting thing… it was going to take some time, he'd reassured her. But it would be worth it in the end. Slowly, she nodded reluctantly.

"Okay," she conceded, her voice small. He squeezed her palm comfortingly and left the office, leaving Annabeth alone with her own thoughts. Sharply intaking a breath, she opened her emails, searching Percy's name in the search tab. Sure enough, an unread, recent email popped up, a file enclosed within it. Trying to keep an open mind, she clicked on the link. The tide turns as time passes, and Annabeth knew she would just have to learn to ride the waves.

* * *

Percy had to admit: ever since Piper had nearly fainted in his presence, he'd been a little frightened to see her again. She was a bit too much excitement for his taste. Sure, he wasn't about to diss Annabeth's best friend, but when the brunette spontaneously grabbed Annabeth's arm or blabbered brightly about some new thing she'd stumbled upon, the fear prickled deep in his chest.

Naturally, he didn't expect to ever hold a conversation with her. Just because Annabeth was close friends with her didn't mean he had to hang out with her, right? How wrong was he. He'd just been on his way out of the office, eager to curl up on his couch back in his apartment. He planned to order some of his favorite, guilty pleasure Italian food (with a guiltier amount of calories), and perhaps even binge some _Law and Order: SVU._ Detective Olivia Benson was just too badass to miss out on. Unfortunately for him, Piper had been waiting near the front entrance of Stone Records, presumably for Ms. Chase herself. Even more unfortunately, she saw him despite his eyes deliberately glued to the floor.

"Percy!"

He flinched at how loud she was. "Hey, Piper," he greeted her, meekly. "Waiting for Annabeth?"

"Yeah." A radiant beam spread across her face and though she wasn't exactly his type, he had to admit that she was gorgeous. He returned the smile, her positive mood contagious. "Do you know if she's on her way out?" she inquired, tilting her head to look at him. Her direct eye contact made him a little uncomfortable.

"No idea," said Percy, shrugging his shoulders. "You know how she is," he commented, fondly. "Practically glued to that desk."

"True," Piper agreed, sharing a knowing look with the raven-eyed boy.

"Well…" Percy gestured to the door, hoping that he could just escape. "I'd better-"

"Hey, you know Thalia, right?" Piper interrupted, oblivious to his futile attempts to leave.

Percy's face scrunched up in confusion and he hesitated. "Yes," he said after a moment. Piper's kaleidoscope eyes lit up and he immediately regretted answering, obsessively wondering if he'd made a fatal mistake.

"What's she like?" Piper eagerly asked.

"Um…" he licked his lips nervously. Thalia was… interesting, one of a kind for sure. She was witty, pessimistic, childish, brave, cheerful, intrusive, kind, tsundere, funny, complicated. "She's short," was the first thing that fell out of his mouth, almost involuntarily. Percy cringed at his own words the moment he said them.

Piper gave him an odd look, only adding to Percy's mortification.

"Why do you ask?" Percy changed his tactic, shifting his weight onto his left leg.

"My ex-boyfriend mentioned he had a sister, which I didn't even know, and then he even mentioned a few of her friends. Imagine my surprise when he said you were one of them," Piper explained, gesturing quite a bit as she talked. Percy found himself staring at her hands more than anything as she talked. It was quite distracting. However, his eyes flicked up to meet hers at her last sentence. Thalia having a younger brother was not new knowledge to him.

Though it might sound weird, he'd never actually met Jason before due to her parents' messy divorce a long time ago. All he knew was that Jason Grace had taken over Lightning Works from Zeus, a position Thalia had not wanted any part in, and that he worked in the music production industry like Annabeth Chase. And ever since Percy had shared a mind-blowing conversation with Thalia, he also knew that Jason was related to Annabeth, making them half-cousins, and that Athena had competed with her half-brother Zeus for so long, like the dirty devil she was. For Piper to reveal that she had dated Annabeth's half-cousin, it was too much for him to handle. First the shit with Thalia knowing Luke Castellan, then Thalia and Jason being related to Ms. Chase, and now Piper's connection to the Graces.

"Oh," was all Percy said, trying desperately to conceal his inner turmoil.

"So she's short, huh?" Piper asked when Percy offered no follow-up to the awkward silence. Percy bobbed his head, yes. The silence washed upon them once more. "Look, I'm sorry to bother you. I'm sure you're very busy…" the brunette trailed off softly, rubbing her arm sheepishly. Percy's expression softened.

"No, it's quite alright," he promised. "It's just a little bit surprising to find out you know Jason, that's all."

Piper still looked unsure and Percy couldn't help but feel bad. He didn't mean to make her so apologetic. Yes, he had been on his way out, and yeah, it was a bit irritating to be stopped by Piper and her little game of twenty questions, but she really was a sweet person and he didn't mean to hurt her.

"Do you think- do you think Thalia would like me?" Piper asked softly after a moment. _So that's why she seemed so quiet all of a sudden_ , Percy realized, much to his relief. He'd thought he'd broken her or something.

"You haven't met her yet?" Percy wasn't too surprised. Thalia, despite her outgoing nature, was very much a private person. One second she was there and the next moment she was gone, disappearing under the moonlight. She was quite flighty and Percy imagined it was because of how Beryl had raised her, read: _neglected_ her as a child. Thalia's childhood had been anything but sunshine and rainbows.

Piper shook her head, no. The sea-green-eyed young man offered her a sympathetic smile. He knew Thalia was protective of Jason, ever since they'd been split up in custody at a young age. She'd only recently gotten close to the blond again, after she'd come of age, turning 18 and therefore, escaping the hellish foster homes and orphanages. Thus, she was rather protective of her little brother.

"I'm sure she'd love you," said Percy, feigning confidence. He didn't mean to _lie_ , but deep down, he knew Thalia probably wouldn't ever trust anyone else, no matter how pleasant. She'd tolerate Piper, sure, if Jason and her were really serious, and God knows, maybe she'd even think of Piper as an acquaintance as time passed, but deep down, Thalia was much too broken for new people. It was just the way she was and Percy couldn't exactly blame for how she was. After all, he had plenty of flaws of his own. When Thalia met Piper, that would be interesting for sure. "I thought you guys broke up, though," he added after a moment. "Why would it matter?"

Piper hesitated, nervously twirling one of her long, silky chocolate locks around her index finger. "It's complicated," she finally settled on saying. Percy nodded somberly. He knew all too well what that phrase meant; Annabeth and him… it hadn't exactly all been a walk in paradise. They were complicated people, the both of them. They were getting to know each other and they were cantankerous and stubborn.

"Good luck?" he suggested after yet another silence and this time, Piper smiled at him, pearly white teeth glittering.

"Thanks," she laughed. Percy smiled at that.

"Sorry for the wait," Annabeth came out of seemingly nowhere, long legs briskly making their way across the glossy floor, her heels clicking against the glass. She glanced at Percy in surprise. "Oh hey, Perce. Thought you'd ducked out a while ago?" She cocked a perfect blonde eyebrow at him, looking between him and Piper with knowing amusement.

He glanced at his watch. "Me too," he confessed, the corner of his mouth twitching. Annabeth grinned wickedly. Piper interrupted their little interaction, grabbing Annabeth's wrist and beginning to drag her to the door.

"Sorry to steal her, Percy, but we've got a date with _The Bachelor_ ," Piper wiggled her fingers, waving goodbye to him. Annabeth glanced behind her apologetically at Percy, audibly groaning at the mention of the reality TV show. "I'm glad we had this talk," Piper concluded, Annabeth stumbling awkwardly in the brunette's iron grip out the door. Percy watched, entertained.

"Goodnight, Perce," Annabeth called over her shoulder, before slipping out of his sight completely.

"Since when do you call him _Perce?_ " Piper teased as they left.

"Oh, shut up," the blonde muttered darkly, the last thing Percy heard. He smiled down at his shoes, unusually content after hearing Annabeth's last words. Stuffing his fists in his pockets, he walked out the door into the warm May air. The sun still had not set and he basked in the golden glow of the sun as he made he climbed into a cab. Even as he picked up the Italian food, the smile had not faded. Percy liked to think of it as the _Annabeth Chase Effect_. It was fatal and would be the end of him, he knew that too. As he curled up onto his couch, finally home, Percy realized he maybe didn't mind Ms. McLean as much as he'd previously thought.

* * *

Annabeth was aware that it was impossible for one person to be happy _all_ the time. It was simply human nature. Humans were too complex to feel only one emotion, but still, this Percy didn't feel like her usual Percy. Percy had not shown up for work that day and even though she rationally knew he was physically okay, in his own apartment and away from Gabe, she couldn't stop fretting over him. Deciding to give herself peace of mind, she stopped by his apartment in the evening after work.

"I missed you at work today," was the first thing she said when she opened the door. Percy looked like hell, like his heart was five times heavier than usual, and he dragged his feet as he gestured her inside. He said nothing in response. Annabeth shut the door quietly behind her, taking a seat on a barstool in his kitchen. Percy stood across the counter from her, making coffee in a dazed manner. Annabeth smothered down her frown, her heart aching for him.

"Want some?" his voice was raspy and broken. Annabeth shook her head, no.

"Thanks, though," she whispered, watching worriedly as he poured milk into his coffee. He was blankly staring into the mug, like a ghost. He was pale and there were dark circles under his eyes. Annabeth pursed her lips, staring at his mug as he continuously poured the thick cream into the cup. She was sure he'd added a lot, even by his own standards- she knew how he liked his coffee- but he didn't seem to stop pouring it in. Sure enough, the coffee spilled over the blue rim, running onto the counter.

Percy stared blankly at the mess he'd made. "Shit," he swore under his breath. He shut his eyes for a moment and Annabeth wondered where he went to when he closed his eyes like that. He looked lost in another world. She could practically imagine his figure flickering under the lights, transporting to another universe. She wished desperately that she could follow him to that other world, see what he saw, understand how he felt, touch the place he went to escape. She wondered if Thalia and Nico were in his alternate reality, if she was there, if he was happier there. Still, she knew better than anyone else: you can't run from your own mind, no matter how hard you try.

"Look, Perce," she began gently. He cracked his eyes open at the sound of her voice, the sea green shielded with pain. "How about I make you the coffee and you just sit down?" she stood, going around the counter to stand beside him. She reached up to lead him to the chair, but he flinched back. Annabeth tried not to take it personally; he was hurting, this wasn't about her. She didn't touch him, instead letting him climb onto the barstool himself.

Tearing off a few sheets of _Bounty,_ she soaked up the mess on the counter, wiping the granite clean. She poured out his over-milked and creamed coffee, rinsing out the mug and setting it down on the kitchen towel. The blonde poured a new cup of steaming, rich coffee, one for him and one for herself. She added just the right amount of creamer and milk in his cup. She couldn't fix him and probably couldn't fix whatever he was upset about, but she could make him a perfect cup of coffee to soothe his troubles. She slid it across to him, leaning on the counter across from him and taking a sip from her own mug.

"Careful, it's hot," she cautioned him, not taking her eyes off him. Percy didn't nod, or react at all. He sipped the drink absentmindedly, hunched over the mug, closed off from the rest of the world. Annabeth didn't ask, knowing he would share when he was ready, and instead just finished her coffee, washing the mug and putting it in the dishwasher. She cleaned his cup as well and finished the rest of his dishes, starting the dishwasher for him. She had a feeling he'd be out of commission for at least the rest of the day.

"I was planning to visit her today," said Percy out of the blue after a long silence. It was the first real, coherent sentence he'd spoken since she'd gotten there an hour ago. He still didn't look at her, but Annabeth found she didn't mind too much. Confused without the fully painted picture, Annabeth patiently waited for him to share more.

"She would've been 48," Percy's voice was barely a whisper. The worst moments to him were those times he would be sitting alone at breakfast and he realized that he had forgotten the precise shade of her brown eyes or the depth of her laugh; that, like the sound of her voice, they had faded into the distance where memories were silent.

Then it clicked in Annabeth's mind: Percy was referring to his late mother and today must be the day she died. Her heart contracted painfully, sympathy running through her veins.

"Sally?" she asked gently. Percy's eyes squeezed shut again at her name. There are memories that time does not erase. Years do not make loss forgettable, only bearable. His reaction only confirmed her suspicion.

Annabeth fell silent, the words _I'm sorry_ feeling empty in her throat. "Would you like me to accompany you when you go?" she offered. Percy nodded; it was a minuscule motion from him at all, but Annabeth took his newfound communication, no matter how small, as a good sign. He stood from the chair, almost like he was under a spell, in some sort of trance. He walked over to his coat rack before Annabeth stopped him.

"Oh, honey," she whispered under her breath, almost absentmindedly. They weren't big on pet names, but seeing him so shattered and vulnerable brought out something passionate in her. She gently led him to his bedroom, relieved that he wasn't flinching away from her touch anymore. His pain was sobering to her. Gently, she helped him look at least semi-presentable, picking out a pair of clean, dark jeans, a black tshirt, and a lightweight dark hoodie in case he got cold. His skin was white like a sheet in comparison and she missed the color in his cheeks, but for now, she thought she'd already accomplished a difficult enough feat. Annabeth sat him down on his bed, slowly combing through his unruly hair with her fingers. She led him to the doorway, pulling her jacket off the rack and wrapping herself in it. She had perpetually cold blood.

Outside in the usual bustle of New York, Percy looked out of place for once in his life. He stared at the ground as Annabeth hailed a cab. Once inside, he looked at the cab driver, somewhat startled. He recited the address as if he could say it in his sleep. Annabeth figured he'd visited her so many times that the address was burned in the back of his mind. She wondered what that would feel like, to visit the dead so much that you were practically the living dead yourself. As the taxi driver peeled away from the curbside, she leaned forward, whispering something in his ear. Before they went to the cemetery, they had to make a quick detour.

When they pulled outside a store, Percy glanced at Annabeth in tired confusion. She tenderly brushed his hair out of his eyes. "I'll be back in one minute, okay?" Percy was unresponsive as usual. She squeezed his hand and climbed out of the cab.

Once inside the store, Annabeth hastily scoured the aisles, trying not to leave Percy alone for too long. She wished he'd called earlier so that he hadn't been alone the entire day, drowning in his sorrow alone. She could've been there for him, she was always there for him, she would forever be his rock anytime he needed. She bought three things, two of which she just stored in her purse for later. Percy would want them later, she knew, but for now, she needn't burden him with anything. The last thing, she held it tight to her chest, close to her heart, and paid the cashier. She hurried outside where Percy was waiting, climbing into the cab again. Percy didn't give her so much as a second glance, but it was okay. It would all be okay. It had always felt like a lie- _it'll all be okay_ \- whenever Percy said it, but for now, she could almost believe it to be true. Percy needed her to believe it for he couldn't believe it for himself.

Once at the cemetery, Annabeth let him lead the way. After a few minutes, he stopped in front of a small gravestone. It was simple and tiny with only her name, date of birth, and date of death etched into it. Internally, Annabeth was seething; she was sure Gabe had spared no expense on the stone. Still, there were trinkets lying around it, things she was positive Percy had decorated it with. She tapped Percy's shoulder and he slowly looked at her, eyes immediately flickering down to what she'd bought from the detour store. In her hand, Annabeth held a beautiful big bouquet of blue hydrangeas, speckled with white roses. Percy couldn't contain it anymore: his eyes welled with tears. Sniffling as the rim of his eyes turned red, he took the bouquet with shaking hands. He held her close to his chest, kissing her forehead as he fought the tears. It was his way of saying thank you, she knew. A solemn smile flickered across her face in return.

Tenderly, Percy placed the bouquet before her headstone. They stood there for a while in silence, the only sound Percy's sniffles. Reaching in her purse, Annabeth plucked out another thing. She'd intended to give it to Percy to eat later, but she figured a few given to his mother instead might help as well. Out of a box of 12 candies, Annabeth pulled out one of the blue candies and pressed it into the palm of his hand. Percy looked down in surprise, then looked up at Annabeth with understanding, only to squeeze it tightly in his fist. He carefully put the candy next to the bouquet. Then he sat down in front of her grave, running his fingers through the green grass of spring.

They sat there for some time, again in a respectful silence. Somehow Annabeth felt closer to Sally Jackson than she ever had before, sitting there. As the wind quietly blew, she could almost imagine it was Sally's gentle caress, the soft touch of a mother. Annabeth had never had a mother like that so she knew she couldn't understand, not truly, how Percy felt. But this made her understand a little more.

She got lost in her own thoughts as they sat there, a few stray tears occasionally running down Percy's cheeks. She couldn't help but realize something about Percy as they stayed there.

It occurred to Annabeth that Percy never cried about Gabe. Percy had never cried about his scars, he'd never cried over his deadbeat father and _those_ emotional scars. Then it hit her: it's because that shit, it didn't matter to Percy. Percy cried over people he loved, he cried when other people got hurt, not when he endured pain. He was selfless and loyal and beautiful and…

Annabeth already admired him, but that fact, that little fact, it made her feel all gooey inside. It made _her_ want to cry, for some unfathomable reason. It was just so unapologetically Perseus Jackson that she _did_ cry. Much to her surprise- and Percy's once he saw tears streaming down his companion's face- her face was wet with tears. She hastily brushed them away. She wasn't sure if she was simply mourning Sally or also mourning Percy's childhood and pain in addition to his mother's demise.

It felt oddly freeing to cry for him, something she hadn't done since that day she'd patched him up in his apartment after spending the night with him. And even then, she'd cried because he hadn't told her more than she'd cried over his pain. Percy's arm snaked around her, comforting her despite her own pain- only that made her cry harder because of _course_ Percy comforts her while he's fucking crying himself.

After about an hour of their tears and spending time with Sally Jackson, Percy finally stood up, helping up Annabeth. She helped him back to the cab, feeling closer to both Sally and Percy. There, they ate the soft pretzel- the third thing she'd purchased in the store- together, finishing it up under Percy's covers in his bed. They also shared the iconic blue candy, which only produced a fresh stream of tears from them both. Both utterly drained, emotionally and physically, they fell into an uneasy sleep, their arms tightly wrapped around each other, as if they were afraid to let go.

Percy once again was lost in his own world, his safe haven, away from his inner demons as he slept. Only this time, Annabeth followed him to his heaven, lost as well. Being lost, she'd realized, didn't seem so bad anymore.

At least, it was comforting to be lost together.

 **A/N: Kinda sad at the end I know, but there was plenty of happy Percabeth in the first scene so you can't complain too much. Spring Break is the only reason I was able to write lol. Too bad it's over now. Thanks for reading and reviewing!**

* * *

 **mylifeisogre: I'm actually not too down, mainly because I'm pumped for the release of my upcoming story haha. But I totally get it; I can't believe I started this a year ago! O.O Not to mention, it makes me realize that I'm such a slow updater lol. Thanks for reading~**

 **aaquater: I think it's good for Jason x Piper as well! Athena would probably expect them to break up soon after being together. I think the reason I find it most disturbing is actually because this happens in real life. Celebrities do all types of stupid shit for press and because their managers/producers/etc think it's a smart move. After all, everything always comes down to money, money, money. :P**

 **Catherine: I know you reviewed for chapter 28, so you're probably not all caught up, but I'd just like to say that because this story's approaching the end, there will be lots of Percabeth since they're who we started this journey with. I hope this chapter satisfied your Percabeth wishes. :)**


	33. Silver and Gold

**A/N: Idk if any of y'all have ever seen** _ **Whiplash**_ **(2014), but I watched it yesterday and though I don't typically watch dramas, it was pretty good so I highly recommend it. Plus I know all my fellow musicians will appreciate the music like I did. :)**

 **Disclaimer: All rights remain. Also, there's a lot of little things that were inspired by other things, so instead of listing everything and driving up the word count, I just want to give some credit to these authors: Cassandra Clare, Victoria Aveyard, and Hannah Moskowitz. *salutes* Queens.**

"What about that one?" Annabeth pointed to his forearm. Percy glanced down; his smooth, tan skin was marred by a long and thin, white line that swirled around, reaching nearly his wrist. They had been recounting stupid childhood stories, like the time Annabeth tried to expose Donald Duck at Disney World when she was five. She'd been furious that other children really believed that the 'foolish imposter' was truly the _real_ Donald Duck and ever the ambitious child, she'd tugged on his tail relentlessly. Obviously, that hadn't went over real well with the park authorities. Additionally, Annabeth had been even more astonished when the irritated Donald Duck slipped up, spitting a couple vulgar phrases in surprise and anger. Somehow, Percy and Annabeth's conversation had shifted to dumb injuries from their youth.

"Oh, that? A shark bit me," he replied casually. Percy really wished he could have captured the blonde's face at that exact moment and then framed it on a wall for all to admire. Annabeth was equally horrified and yet in awe.

"What?!" she exclaimed, astounded and wide-eyed. Percy smothered down a shit-eating grin.

"I'm just kidding," he laughed, unable to help himself. Annabeth's fear of the sea and its creatures was simply always entertaining to him. To him, she worried too much, fretting over statistics instead of soaking in the little moments. "When I was 11, I accidentally sliced my arm with a retractable measuring tape," Percy sounded slightly embarrassed at the truth.

Annabeth smacked his shoulder harshly; he was such an idiot. "What were you even measuring, dumbass?" she rolled her eyes.

Percy contemplated the question for a moment before a wicked smirk surfaced on his face. "I was just measuring the size of my-"

"-Perseus Jackson, don't you dare!" she cut him off, flushing a brilliant scarlet hue and covering her face out of embarrassment. He shot her a smug smile, causing her to groan and sink lower in her seat. If it wasn't simply his imagination playing tricks on him, Percy would've thought her face managed to get even redder.

"Why not?" he chuckled.

"I'm a _perfect_ lady: I might swoon, _sir_ ," said Annabeth sarcastically.

"I'll catch you, milady," he promised, winking and only purposefully infuriating Annabeth further. She muttered a retort into her hands. It rhymed with something that sounded a lot more like "ducking grass sole." She lightly flicked him in the head with her index finger, but he didn't truly mind. When she didn't look up, even after a couple minutes had passed, Percy nudged her lightly.

"Aw, c'mon. Don't be like that, Wise Girl," he coaxed sweetly.

"You're so stupid," she groaned, peeking up at him cautiously. Her blush had faded, but he could see a little smile on her face, so not all was lot.

"Interesting," Percy nodded slowly as if she had theorized about the creation of the universe rather than just called him an idiot. At that, her lips curved up, though she tried and failed to hide it. They fell into a comfortable silence. He thought back to when they'd first met, where they both desperately tried to fill the awkward quiet with stupid tales and childish insults. Not that the latter had exactly stopped or would cease anytime soon, though it was definitely more of a game now. It felt good to ponder over how far they had come, warming Percy's heart to the core.

"Weirdo," Annabeth teased. Percy took the comment with stride, relishing the way his fingers traced her knuckles instead.

"But I'm your weirdo," he said without hesitation, his eyes glittering.

Annabeth smirked. "If that helps you sleep at night," she retorted. The silence washed over them once more.

"I'm hungry," Percy finally interrupted. Annabeth just rolled her eyes.

"And what do you want me to do? Dance?" she snorted.

Percy rolled his own eyes. "Fine. I'll just go then and get food." He stood up, towering over the blonde curled up on the couch. "A sandwich," he decided, shooting her a wry grin. It was nearly lunchtime anyways; the hunger was warranted.

"Ooh, that sounds good. Make me one too," she retorted, her eyes crinkling at the corners.

"Why did I know you were going to do that?"

Annabeth laughed, burying herself deeper in the mountain of pillows.

"I see how it is," he acknowledged, but a muscle in his cheek twitched. "Screw you." Annabeth beamed up at him in response. "Turkey?" he finally asked even though he already knew the answer, her smile only widening like the Cheshire Cat. She bobbed her head, yes. "Fine. _I'll be back_ ," Percy joked, imitating Arnold Schwarzenegger from _The Terminator._ Annabeth groaned behind him, muttering about how _cringy you are, Percy_ and _why do even I hang around you anymore_. Percy sheepishly ducked, chuckling to himself as a red, fluffy pillow flew over his head. Annabeth chucked another yellow one, but he had the gall to wink at her, sliding out of her aim and into the kitchen.

He set to work, layering her sandwich just how she liked it: Italian bread, lightly toasted, extra mayonnaise, dijon mustard, turkey, extra cranberry sauce, havarti cheese, and a handful of watercress arugula leaves. He made the same thing for himself, cutting out the mayonnaise.

Annabeth was intelligent, anyone knew that, but mayonnaise was fucking disgusting and she was bound to be wrong some time. At least that's what he'd said right before she poured even _more_ mayonnaise on her sandwich, grinning at him like the devil the entire time. She'd done it to piss him off, he was sure, no matter how much she'd claimed that she preferred that much mayo. Still, it made him smile to this day. So crazy, she was; he loved it.

Percy hummed to himself, absentmindedly playing around with a melody he'd been working on earlier that morning. Picking up both plates, he made his way back to her living room. As soon as he entered the room, her steely eyes lit up like a Christmas tree, a certain child-like quality to her. It was a refreshing change, to say the least. She extended her arms, reaching for him.

"Gimme," said Annabeth with a cheeky smile, taking the plate into her own lap. Percy lazily sprawled on the couch next to her, too occupied with his food rather than her antics. "Extra mayo," she discovered, giddy.

"A glopping mess," he affirmed, laughing when her eyes narrowed at him, dipping his head to miss her smack. A bubble of happiness swelled in his chest, sweet and unfamiliar. He shoved one of the pillows out of his way as he settled next to her. Annabeth insisted on intricate throw pillows and he couldn't help but think she'd really let herself go with the whole decorating thing. Whereas her bedroom was pristine, but white and blank almost as if nobody lived there, her living room was busy- a stark contrast. In her living room, her hoard of brightly colored cushions were proudly displayed across the soft, cream-colored leather.

"You know what would make it even better?" she interrupted his struggle of drowning in the padding.

"What?" he inquired, amused. Percy cocked an eyebrow at her.

"Another sandwich." She held out her empty plate, laughing. He took the plate, and it was a completely ordinary moment, but it was also everything he'd ever wanted and never let himself imagine. A home, with Annabeth; laughing as light streamed through the window together.

Percy shook his head at her, bemused. He could go for another sandwich as well and besides, he never really did mind. Not with her.

"You're lucky I love you."

It slipped out of his mouth before he could think it through. Percy froze, two empty plates in his hands. He prayed Annabeth hadn't caught it, but it was wishful thinking on his part, he knew. Annabeth stared at his retreating figure, just as shocked as him and his premature declaration of love. In fact, her lips parted in surprise.

Love was not a word they used. They felt it, they meant it, but they didn't say it. It felt so final, a declaration from which there was no easy return. Percy was always the closed-up type. He knew his exits. And he was a prisoner in some ways, to Gabe, to his own thoughts and fears, to the facade he was forced to put up for the public. He hated locked doors. But her eyes were so close, so eager. And it was what he felt. Even though the words terrified him, they were the truth. Didn't he say he would start telling the truth and being more open? Didn't he say he would share more, not bottling up his emotions until he bled from the shattered glass he'd created?

He swallowed hard, his Adam's apple bobbing up and down. He was unsure; this was uncharted territory and he had to tread carefully. He opened his mouth to fix this, to do something, _anything,_ but Annabeth cut him before he could say anything. He wondered if perhaps she was afraid he would only confirm his declaration instead of brushing it off like a joke like a normal person. To him, it was anything but. However, he was not brave enough to disclose his heart to her, not even if she wanted him to.

"Don't forget the extra mayo," Annabeth continued as if he had not said anything at all. Her eyes were understanding, the lines around her mouth soft and faded. Relief washed over Percy, sinking deep into his bones. He almost sagged in relief. Taking her topic change as a blessing, he just spun on his heels, dragging himself into the kitchen.

There, he set to work once more, silently chiding himself. Once he'd dawdled in the kitchen long enough for it to be suspicious, he pressed himself to go back out to her. The pair quickly melted back into easy conversation, overlooking the awkward moment.

As they spoke, the thought still nagged at him. Alongside the initial relief, a stab of disappointment shot through Percy's heart. What if he had confessed? Would she have returned the sentiment or was he just a delusional fool? She had looked like a deer caught in headlights, but still, he recognized that she hadn't seemed nearly as frightened as he would've expected. Her features had softened, her aura gentle like it was in the rare moments that she let her guard down. He treasured those moments with everything in him. To avoid rejection, Percy had traded his soul with it.

Relief, disappointment, and now something akin to regret bubbled inside him. He bottled his feelings like he promised to stray from, momentarily shoving them down into the dark pit inside his heart with all his dark fears, grief, qualm, and remorse. He jammed the memory in the space between his mother and Gabe and this _irrational_ yet excessive guilt of his new wealth and a million other things, because none of it was important. Not when Annabeth was going on about something she was excited about, their stiff interaction long forgotten. Forcibly shutting his brain up, Percy tried to focus on Annabeth, on her wild hand gestures and her long chain of words that she somehow managed to get out without taking any sort of breath at all.

Still, the thought wiggled through the cracks, haunting him. Percy had always been the worrying type, despite the cool and collected manner in which he portrayed himself. When his mother was alive, he'd worried over her. He'd worried over Thalia and Nico countless times. He worried about Grover when he was younger, he worried for everyone but himself. He worried about things that he knew logically would never happen. The skin between his eyes and around his mouth were permanently etched with deep worry lines. And Annabeth, he worried about her all the time. He worried about Thalia's admission of their shared yet concealed family tree.

He absentmindedly wondered if the pit inside of him was elastic. Quietly horrified despite the calm expression he put on for Annabeth, Percy realized he didn't want to be there if the pit ever broke.

 _When_ it broke.

* * *

Percy blinked. If not for the electric blue eyes, he never would have thought they were related. At all. One glance at Nico and Percy realized, Nico thought the exact same thing.

As weird as it sounded, Percy had never actually met Jason Grace, Thalia's brother, before. He knew he existed of course, and he even knew he had taken over Thunderworks, once Zeus's record label company.

"And this is Percy," Thalia gestured to him, concluding the introductions. Jason was so… polite, and it startled Percy, to say the least. Thalia was so bright and enthusiastic that it really caught him off guard when Jason shook his hand. Percy obliged anyways. If Thalia was gold, catching the light and the attention, Jason was silver: so used to everyone else looking at his big sister that that was where he looked too, so used to living in her shadow that he didn't expect to be seen. And silver, though few people knew it, was a rarer metal than gold. If Thalia was a red flame, strong enough to forge the strongest of weapons, then Jason was a blue flame: seemingly cooler, calmer, but people tended to forget that blue flames burned hotter than red. His fire would melt the weapons to the ground.

"It's nice to meet you," said Jason amiably, dipping his head at Percy. He returned the gesture, not thinking much of it.

"You're so different than Thalia," said Percy finally, unable to smother his words. Nico nodded in quiet agreement. At that, Jason cracked a crooked smile and Percy found himself liking him more, now that he didn't look so serious. The white small scar above Jason's upper lip stretched with the grin.

"Isn't that a good thing?" he teased gently and Thalia glared at him. Percy threw his head back and laughed, at ease with Jason's easy going personality.

"Not so fast, Jackson," Thalia shook her head at him. "Like you're such a peach."

Percy covered his heart with false hurt. A little glimmer sparkled in his sea green eyes. "I'm a fucking delight," he assured her, without a hint of irony. Thalia snorted behind him. It felt like a new beginning, to be introduced to what was once Thalia's past and was now her future. Jason meant everything to her, no matter how badly she tried to disguise it, Percy knew as much. She was a softie, deep down.

The blonde superman glanced down at his watch. "Look, I've got to run or I'm going to be late for a meeting, but I'll catch you later?" He glanced between Nico and Percy, finally deciding to look Percy in the eye when Nico dropped his gaze.

"For sure, dude," Percy nodded slightly. Jason grinned wide, nodding in return, before spinning on his heels and disappearing out of his sight.

* * *

Jason was coming to Stone Records to take Thalia out for lunch- it'd been some time since they'd hung out- when he stopped short near the entrance. The dark haired boy, smaller and pale boy was standing near some of the desks. _Nico_ , Jason recalled Thalia's words. He was a strange, quiet kind of guy, but Jason liked him well enough. Though Nico didn't say much, when he did, it was always funny and sarcastic. Not to mention, it always put either Thalia or Percy in line, much to his own amusement.

Jason almost went over to talk to him, just say hi and ask if Thalia was on her way down, but he froze right where he was when he saw who the younger boy was conversing with. The boy had blond hair like himself, only more golden than white, and his skin was tanner than Jason's. His eyes were a baby blue rather than an electric shade, and he seemed to radiate some sort of warmth like the sun. Nico's cheeks were flushed pink, from anger or embarrassment Jason couldn't tell, but he suspected it more likely the latter.

Nico was such a closed-off, standoffish kind of guy that Jason could hardly mask his surprise. It was clear as day, written all over Nico's face like an open book: Nico had a crush on the blond guy he was talking to. In all honesty, Jason wasn't too shocked at Nico's sexuality and even more so, Jason wasn't at all surprised that Nico would keep it to himself. Though he mildly wondered if Percy or Thalia knew, deep down, Jason knew they didn't. His expression softened, lost as he watched Nico awkwardly stutter. The boy, who he'd overheard called _Solace_ by Nico, was smiling down at Nico fondly and though Jason was no expert of the heart, he knew that the _Solace_ boy was equally smitten.

Part of Jason was simply happy for Nico. He seemed so cold, so lonely that Jason often wondered who had hurt him so badly, that it felt wholesome and wonderful to know that Nico was coming around. Lost in thought, Jason's heart stopped all of a sudden. Solace had walked away now and Nico was staring… staring right at Jason.

The blue-eyed boy swallowed hard. Nico's expression was a mix of anger and fear, something that made Jason's heart sink low in his chest. Did Nico really think he would expose him? Additionally, did Nico think his feelings were something to be ashamed of? There was nothing wrong with the soft-spoken boy, not in Jason's opinion. Love was love, Piper had taught him as much. Piper even sobbed over the love of fictional characters, the brunette feeling everything so deeply that it often made Jason smile.

Nico spun on his heels, quick to storm away, and therefore, snapped Jason out of his reverie. "Wait, Nico!" Jason walked briskly, trying to catch up with him. Nico made no effort to slow down, so Jason jogged, slowing down by Nico's side. Nico glared at the ground, his hands shoved deep in his pockets, his dark eyebrows furrowed together. "Nico," Jason breathed, maintaining Nico's hasty pace.

"Nico, stop," Jason pleaded finally and Nico whirled around, fuming. He glared darkly at the older boy and Jason felt a shiver run down his spine: his glare could freeze blood.

"What?" he hissed, seething quietly. The blonde young man couldn't help but pity him, but he shoved his sympathy aside, knowing full well that Nico would never accept such a thing.

"It's nothing to be ashamed of," said Jason first. Nico's expression only hardened, discouraging him and the rest of his words died in his throat.

"I'm not ashamed of anything," Nico lied through his teeth, his voice choked.

Jason pursed his lips, ignoring the statement. "Besides, I would never tell anyone," Jason continued earnestly. "You know that, right?" Nico's dark eyes looked up at him, unsure and untrusting. _Who hurt you so bad you can no longer love anymore? Who hurt you so bad that you can no longer trust?_ Worry gnawed at Jason's heart. "I would never," he repeated, assuring the smaller boy. Something like a protective feeling possessed Jason and he knew, no matter what happened from here on out, he would defend Nico to the end of the world. Nico was loyal, witty, quiet, but strong in a surprising sort of way. _We look weak because we want to_ , he had told Jason once, making it feel like needles were pricking him all over his skin. The knowing look on Nico's face had said everything Jason needed to know.

"I promise," Jason reiterated. Nico seemed to relax, if only by a little bit, much to Jason's relief.

"So who was that?" Jason began, making light conversation. Nico didn't flush, not with Jason looking at him, but his nervous energy had returned.

"His name's Will," Nico whispered quietly after a few moments of silence. Jason could see that he was reluctant to share information and probably wouldn't say much more about the topic. Nico was a very private person. Jason wouldn't push him, not now, not ever. Nico could take refuge in him, he could trust him, but Jason knew it would take time for such a trustful bond to form.

"Cool," was all he said, not making a big deal out of it. Nico's gaze softened, almost thankful. A blur of spiky black hair and startling blue eyes flickered out of the corner of his eye. "Well, I'll be on my way. Thalia's here," he offered a small smile, one that Nico awkwardly returned. "It was nice talking to you." Nico barely nodded, but Jason still saw, making him feel a bit lighter. Making Nico smile was no small feat. "I'll catch you later," Jason waved behind him as Thalia hauled his ass outside and down the sidewalk to the subway staircase.

Nico watched after them, the corner of his mouth turned up in amusement. It was small, barely there, but Jason saw it nonetheless. Percy had been right; this felt like a new beginning.

* * *

Percy groaned out in pain and swore under his breath, squeezing his eyes shut. He pressed his lips together tightly, containing his external pain by attempting to make it internal. Even if he left Gabe a long time ago, some habits never changed.

He needed help, he knew that much. Normally, he would have ignored the injury, allowing it to heal naturally and gradually over time, but this time something was _off._ You know, besides the fact that he was currently pinned under his car, slowly being pressed flat into a pancake like Atlas holding the world. Percy felt like he was four again, his mother wiping the beads of sweat off his forehead as he sniffled over his broken wrist- the casualty of falling off his friend Grover's skateboard. Not to mention, it was hard to ignore the pain when a man was getting out of his car. His voice was fuzzy, drowning in Percy's senses. Percy mildly made out the words _sir, sir are you okay?_ And of course, his car. His beautiful fucking blue car that was destroyed, demolished, a useless hunk of torn metal crushing down on him like an elephant. His lungs rattled, struggling to get air in.

Of course, despite the similar type of pain, this was nothing like that time when he was four. He had not been skateboarding- lord knows Annabeth would have murdered him if he spent his time doing something stupid like that- but instead, he'd just been driving down the street. He used to rarely drive, either taking a cab, or typically the subway since cab fare was expensive. However, with his new fame, it was impossible to catch a train without being bombarded by crazies. He'd been thinking, worrying, his mind whirring in overdrive as he drove and it'd just happened in the blink of an eye…

Gritting his teeth, Percy dragged his hand to his side. His entire body felt like it was on fire as he lay sprawled across the dirty New York street. He distantly heard sirens, but he blocked them out, along with the few people hovering over him in concern. He heard murmurs of his name too, mutterings of calling the ambulances, some concerned whispers about the blood. He ignored them all. Typing with one hand, he opened the Google search engine for help. He knew he was stubborn and this was stupid, but he couldn't call Annabeth for help: he didn't want to rely on anyone for anything. And certainly not some random-ass New Yorkers who'd witnessed the nearly fatal car crash. How he could type, Percy didn't know. Perhaps the endorphins kicking in served as such strong painkillers that he could still do a little. But then why, oh why, did it feel like was being tortured in the pits of hell? He wasn't going to the hospital even if it killed him and he didn't give a shit what anybody else said. Whatever the fuck was wrong with his arm, Google could help. Hopefully.

He Googled "broken arms."

He Googled "stupid ways to break your arm."

He Googled "I'm so dizzy I can't see straight."

He Googled "Annabeth Chase."

He Googled "fix your arm diy."

He Googled "Zeus Grace related to Athena Stone."

He Googled "Am I going to die?"

None of the answers were helpful, although the last one took Percy to some creepy links that at least distracted him for a minute.

Sighing to himself, Percy angrily muttered under his breath. He could barely breathe at this point- it hurt so fucking bad- and he had no other choice. It was time to resort to "Nurse Beth." With a shaky right hand- his better hand- he scrolled through his contacts, Annabeth at the very top, and clicked on a blurry picture of a blonde girl laughing, her head thrown back and cheeks flushed, labeled _Wise Girl._ He squinted at the picture, his vision blurry.

"Sir, sir I've called 911," an unfamiliar female voice floated above him. If they noticed him messing around with his phone, they didn't say anything. Again he ignored them. Stupid passerbys. Stupid, stupid, stupid. This was all stupid. He needed his fucking arm, he was a motherfucking musician for god's sake. Fuck them all. Fuck this. Fuck his arm, the worthless piece of shit. Some of the men and women were attempting to pry the metal away from his left arm that was pinned underneath. Percy didn't give a shit; he wanted Annabeth and only ever her. _Please pick up, please, please, please._

"Percy?" she picked up on the second ring, her voice laced with concern. Percy didn't often call spontaneously; he knew she was a busy girl. His eyes slid shut again at the soothing sound of her voice. He could die right then and there and as long as he heard her voice one last time, he'd die happy.

"Annabeth," he rasped quietly, mustering all his strength to say her name and relishing in the way the vowels formed in his mouth. Immediately a stab of pain shot up his abdomen when he spoke. Percy dutifully ignored it. He'd always liked her name. And as he pondered over her name for a few moments, he realized he was starting to get delusional with the pain.

"Percy?!" her voice was higher now, louder, and panicked. He guessed he didn't sound too great. Percy flinched at the sound. His head was pounding like a hangover, only a hundred times worse. And the blood, god the blood. He could hardly believe it was his own. It coated the side of his face, banged up and bruised, the cuts stinging. He could bear the pain, it was fine, it was fine as long as he could hear her voice. But he didn't like it when she sounded so worried: her pain was his pain, after all. "Are you okay? Percy? Percy, talk to me!" she ordered. He heard shuffling on the other end of the line and jingle of keys. "I'm coming over right now, Percy. Hold on, just- just hold on, Perce. Where are you?" He was sure she could hear the wailing of the sirens and the honking of the familiar Manhattan traffic. His eyelids shut and despite it all, a small smile graced his features. Her voice was so pleasant, like an angel… he could almost fall asleep hearing it.

"C-car," he managed to get out. However incredible she was, he knew she would need some sort of help with figuring out what was happening. Annabeth began talking again and he heard her door slam shut, presumably because she'd left her apartment building. He couldn't make out what she was saying, but he knew she understood what he meant, even if he'd only spoken one word. She was good like that. Always good.

It didn't matter that he didn't understand her words. Her voice was soothing and Percy felt increasingly more tired by the second. _I love you, I love you, I love you_ , he thought to himself. He loved her voice and her face, and those angelic golden curls fit for a princess. And her wit and smile and he just wished she was here with him right now, not whoever the strangers were around him. He could hear the authority now, ordering people to step aside, could hear them assuring him that he would be alright. Percy smiled to himself, eyes still shut, but it was more of a grimace as he winced at the commotion around him. It was funny that they thought he cared what happened to him. He didn't give two shits about himself, what a funny joke. He had Annabeth on the line with him and that was all that mattered.

Still clutching onto his phone and Annabeth's voice desperately, Percy's breathing evened out as he finally succumbed to his exhaustion as it all went dark.

* * *

When Percy came to, the first thing he saw was blonde curls hanging over him, and then he felt her small hand in his, warm and gentle. He couldn't help but think of the time she'd spent the night after seeing his new apartment for the first time. _You drool in your sleep_ , she'd said, much to his amusement. Only then he felt the IV in his arm, the thick covers over him, only once he'd recognized Annabeth's presence did he notice the white walls and ceiling of the depressing hospital room.

"You picked up." His lungs hurt with every word at first, but the pain was dull. He figured it was painkillers.

"Of course, you idiot." Only she would insult him, even when he was pathetically wrapped up in hospital covers. Somehow, it was endearing. Her eyes shifted and Percy braced himself for what she was going to say next. He knew her, he knew exactly what was going to come out of her mouth, but still he was not prepared when it did.

"I love you," said Annabeth, playing it off as casually as she could, but Percy saw the pink flush in her cheeks. He felt warm all over at her declaration and he knew, he just knew that she was thinking of a few weeks ago when he'd let the same three words slip. Only this time she had said it with confidence and he knew, to her, this was no mistake. They calmed him, the three words he'd been waiting for his whole life without even knowing it. They felt so beautiful out of her mouth and he wished he could kiss her senseless, but alas, he was still broken in a hospital bed.

"Ah, there it is," his mouth twitched at the corner. And only he would tease her, despite it all.

"Don't be an asshole," Annabeth hid a smile as well.

"I love you, too," he surrendered. Still the smile on his face did not waver, though his words were soft with exhaustion. But she, she gave him energy like no other. Annabeth's presence was his only comfort in the entire room. She was the color in the white, unfriendly room. The beeping of machines didn't help too much either, but he figured savagely ripping the IV out of his arm would either horribly frighten Annabeth or make her angry, or possibly even both. "The other day, it- it wasn't a mistake. I meant it then and I-" she cut him off, shaking her head slightly. He knew she couldn't bear to watch him talk, not now. Not when he was so clearly fighting to draw air in his lungs properly.

"Later," she promised. "We have all the time in the world. Later, when you're better." Percy nodded in agreement; it drained him to talk so much. Silence washed over them, but only for a moment. He watched the shift in Annabeth's mood, changing from momentary content to a hurt than dug deeper than the surface of her skin.

"You're so stupid, Perseus," she said when he didn't say anything, but there was no malice behind her words. Birth name- Percy swallowed. In all honesty, he'd been expecting some sort of reprimand from her for a couple minutes now. Her face pinched up, frustrated tears welling in her eyes before finally falling. Percy's own face scrunched up in concern: like always, her pain was his pain. It hurt to see her hurt. He wanted to reach out and hold her close, to soothe her tears, to apologize for _everything_ , for the world and for chance even though it was hardly his fault he had been in an accident. But sue him, he didn't like to see her cry. Of course, none of that mattered, seeing as he could hardly move.

"Why would you call me? Why wouldn't you call 911? I couldn't save you, I wouldn't have been able to-" she choked on her words, emotion thick in her throat. "You could have _died."_ The word feels heavy in the room, weighing on their shoulders in a place like a hospital. "Just imagine what could have happened if there hadn't been anyone around to help you."

"If nobody was there, I wouldn't have gotten into a car crash in the first place," Percy pointed out dryly. Annabeth glared darkly at him and he shut his mouth immediately.

"Have you taken leave of your senses entirely?" she muttered, though not angrily nor unkindly. Her anger had dissipated, replaced with concern. She reached out to smooth a lock of his dark hair properly to the side of his forehead. "Your face is going to be all scraped up for at least another week," she told him, the tears slowing as she squeezed his right hand tightly in her own.

"Pity. That was the real money maker," Percy added thoughtfully, trying to make her smile. All was not lost. He had had much, _much,_ worse injuries. He had lost so much more. She would know better than anyone else. Annabeth found it in her to bark out a sharp laugh, and despite the circumstances, Percy smiled, crooked and familiar, though it hurt his face to do so. As strong as the painkillers were, they didn't drown out all of his senses. Still, the pain was nothing in comparison to what he'd felt before. He endured it like a soldier, not minding much. However, Annabeth's laugh quickly transformed into tears again, leaking down her face as his temporary triumph crumbled in front of him.

"Hey… hey, don't cry." He frowned, shutting his eyes and leaning his head back into the stack of pillows. The words felt cliche, even to him, but he soothingly brushed his thumb over her knuckles anyways.

"I should be comforting you, not the other way round," Annabeth sniffled, leaning her elbows onto his bedside and kissing his fist fondly. "This is pathetic," a watery smile surfaced on her face.

He peeked up at her. He couldn't help but shift uncomfortably in the bed; he hated hospitals with a fiery passion. His mother died in one, leaving him forever though he did not blame her, he never would. Annabeth almost left him in one as well after her little… episode, so long ago. Hospitals were scary, big, painful in more ways than one. "It is not," he replied indignantly. He wanted to make her understand. Her care was not a weakness, it made her human. "It's like funerals," Percy said finally, trying to explain. "Funerals are not for the dead, but for the living. Just like now. It hurts more for the visitors than it does for the patient."

"Don't you dare bring up funerals," she hissed almost immediately as her hand tightened on his, her eyes like saucers. But she understood, he could see it in her face. He suspected she would have smacked him and _hard,_ if he wasn't already badly injured.

"Relax, Wise Girl," he comforted her, despite the fact that he never truly relaxed himself and that he was only a big hypocrite. Despite the fact that he spent every second of every day worrying about this and that. Annabeth just nodded, taking a deep breath and calming herself.

"You fractured two ribs, so it's going to hurt to breathe for a while," she told him solemnly, her gaze flickering down to his bandaged stomach. His old white, paled scar lines were still evident over his torso, but some had been covered by nurses in an attempt to stop some of the newer cuts from the car crash. Some were speckled with red, but none were soaked through with his blood, much to Annabeth's relief. They must've succeeded in stemming the bleeding. Nasty bruises lined his body, especially the left side of his body that had taken the brunt of the blow.

"As well as your pinky." Percy glanced down at the little blue brace against the finger.

"Blue?"

Annabeth ignored him, but he saw her eyes crinkle at the corners. He placed his hand over hers again.

"And your humerus too, on your left arm. Oblique fracture," Annabeth told him. Percy couldn't help but wonder if she had ever wished to be a doctor; the words sounded so natural and comfortable in her mouth. She would have been one hell of a doctor, that was for sure. He also pondered upon the stack of pillows to support him. Somehow, he missed Annabeth's ridiculous amount of throw pillows instead. Finally, he registered her words, his eyebrows furrowing at the terminology.

"A… hummus-what?" Percy inquired, utterly and completely lost. At that, the corner of Annabeth's mouth lifted in amusement, a pretty sight to behold.

"Not hummus, you Seaweed Brain, _humerus._ It's a long bone in your arm that runs from your shoulder to your elbow."

Percy scowled at that. "Does that mean I have to wear a cast?" He glanced down at the sling around his arm.

Annabeth shook her head. "They rarely use casts for that bone. A sling is all you'll get."

Percy visibly brightened in relief. "Thank god," he murmured. "Last time I wore a cast was when I was nine and I remember that I couldn't do anything and it was hell. So obviously I'm not that eager to go back," he explained. Annabeth rolled her eyes and he could almost imagine that they were back in her living room or in his kitchen or in one of their beds, back to how things always were. He didn't bother to mention how he'd broken yet another bone, or rather, who was the cause of it. Some things, he'd decided, were better left in the past.

"What am I going to do, Beth?" he sighed, glancing around the dull hospital room once more. "I can't play music like this," said Percy, morose.

Annabeth worried her lip, lost in thought. "You can still sing," she offered, positively. "After your ribs feel a little better. And besides, it won't be for long. The doctor predicts only seven weeks. And by the fourth week you'll probably be able to mildly play the piano at least."

It was still a depressing thought, but Percy realized he was lucky, very lucky to still be there beside the girl he loved with a heart still beating like a drum in his chest.

"And maybe," Annabeth continued, "if you eat lots of foods with high calcium like milk, yogurt, kale, etc, you'll be able to play sooner." At that, Percy smiled, appreciating her effort to make him feel better. In reality, she needn't do anything. She was enough to make him feel better.

"Thank you," he whispered then, closing his eyes again. They burned and he was positive they were a bit bloodshot at this point. Strange, since he was sure he'd probably slept a lot once pulled into the hospital.

"What for?" asked Annabeth, sounding genuinely confused. Though he couldn't see her, he could imagine her face in his mind, the way her head tilted slightly to one side when she was lost. He smiled despite the pain of his skin stretching across his face.

 _For so much. For everything. For looking out for me, for offering to let me escape Gabe at your house, for making me whole again, for being here, for always being there, for loving me, for coming with me to Mom's grave, for staying with me._

"For picking up the phone," said Percy finally, deciding to keep it simple. She would know what he truly meant, he knew.

"Of course," her voice softened.

Percy nodded slowly, soothed by her simple words.

"You should sleep," Annabeth advised, her voice already growing fuzzy. It wasn't unpleasant this time, not like when her voice left him as he blacked out on the Manhattan street. He was just tired, so tired. A little bit of sleep would do him good. But he didn't want Annabeth to leave, not even as he slept. He knew it was selfish, he knew it would be uncomfortable for her so…

"Don't you want to know what happened?" he asked sleepily. He vividly remembered all too well the screech of tires, the ear-bleeding whine of metal scraping against metal, the headlights temporarily blinding him and leaving white spots dancing in front of his vision. He even recalled the track playing from the car's bluetooth speakers right before he drove into that intersection. He remembered how tall the truck had been in comparison to his small vehicle.

"Later," Annabeth reminded him once more. Percy barely nodded.

"Sleep with me," he requested, eyes still shut, but voice full of hope like a child. He could practically imagine Annabeth's resolve melting in his mind. "Please."

"Percy, I can't just crawl into the bed. You're injured."

He shook his head slowly. "Won't hurt," he vowed, weakly squeezing her hand.

"And besides, I'm sure the nurses won't be very happy with us," Annabeth insisted.

Percy just shook his head again. "Please," he implored, his voice cracking. He didn't ever really beg her for anything, not really. He didn't like to ask things of her for the same reason he'd been hesitant to call her even during a time of crisis, even with sticky blood matting his hair down and roaring in his ears. He didn't hear from her again, only felt the shift next to him in the bed as she cautiously climbed in, snuggling under the covers up as she sidled up against his right side.

"Does this hurt?" She tried to sound nonchalant, but she was worried, he could hear it in her voice. He shook his head no again, too fatigued to talk anymore. "Okay," she conceded, breathless. "Okay," she repeated, reassuring herself more than him. At least, that's what it sounded like to him. He felt comforted by her warmth and her small puffs of breath on his neck, her head tucked neatly under his chin. He inhaled deeply, overlooking the stab in his abdomen once more, and breathed in the scent of Annabeth. The familiar lemon of her hair relaxed him and he remembered when she'd told him that lemons supposedly repelled spiders. He hadn't been able to hide his laughter. He took in the scent of her skin too, lavender and cedarwood without any of her perfumes. It was intoxicating and both scents were aromatic blends for relaxation. He couldn't help but think it was sort of ironic, considering how high strung she always was.

Curled together like children, their hands clasped in between them, Percy eventually drifted off, followed shortly by a worry-ridden and equally exhausted Annabeth. Colors and sounds and beautiful images swirled in his mind, replacing his usual dark nightmares. There were golden curls. His mother's smile was there too, warm as a quilt, and her sparkling blue eyes that changed color in the light. He could smell her too, Sally's sweet scent of chocolate, licorice, and everything one would find in a candy shop, but this time it was blended with lemon, making it more like lemonade. It was a pleasant surprise and though Percy knew deep down that when he woke he probably would not remember any of it, he reveled in the beauty of it all.

For the first time in forever, Percy dreamed.

 **A/N: So that's that… I thought the Google thing with Percy was kinda funny, but I feel like it also displays his constant anxiety- something that most likely stemmed from a young age, from Gabe and his mom. Even when he's dying on the ground, he's worrying about Annabeth's relationship with Thalia, about things that have just stuck with him, gnawing at his brain, even if they aren't even relevant to the current situation.**

 **I was going to make it less dramatic, maybe just Percy dropping some furniture on himself like an idiot, but I'm an angst-ridden teenager so I got a bit carried away lol. Plus I really wanted to properly demonstrate his self-loathing and indifference to his own suffering, which I feel is easier to do if his injury is not as much of a joke and not just him breaking only his arm in a dumb way that only Seaweed Brain can.**

 **Anyways, I digress. Go ahead and lemme know what you thought of the chapter. I made it longer and so I hope you liked it, and I'll be back as soon as I've got something to decent to publish. Stay safe xx**

* * *

 **mylifeisogre: Well, her mother is stubborn, so Athena probably stuck with flash drives throughout her life. Because Annabeth is pretty much her little minion, she imitates Athena in all she does. That and I didn't really think through flash drives the first time and then I couldn't exactly change it, so I had to stick with it. ;) I'm not a fan of how Percy dealt with it either, but even though he's maturing, he's definitely still going to make mistakes. And I hope this chapter only reinforced your theory that they'll be in each other's lives in the long run. :)**

 **Guest: Well, er, wow. I'm sorry you're crying. Not my intention, but I'm still very flattered. I don't particularly view myself as a gifted writer, but thank you regardless.**

 **RestlessSoul100: Honestly, I'm kinda known in RPing for killing off a bunch of characters (I think 26 is my death count at the moment), so I'm pretty sure I'm permanently banned from killing anyone else lol. But I'm glad I was effectively to make you despise Luke through words, and words alone.**


	34. Four Words

**A/N: The amount of daylight I've burned addictively popping bubble wrap while blasting cringy, nostalgic pop songs of 2012 cannot** _ **possibly**_ **be healthy.**

 **Moving on from this week's episode of** _ **My Strange Addiction**_ **, seeing as the last chapter was told entirely in Percy's and Jason's perspectives, I think it's due time we hear a little of Wise Girl's side, don't you?**

 **Disclaimer: All rights remain.**

Annabeth jumped at the sudden sound blaring from her phone; her blue pen clumsily fell onto her desk with a clatter. The blonde raked her hand through her thick curls, sighing to herself. There was only one person who was crazy enough to be awake now, and only one person would call her regardless of the time of night. That person was none other than her own mother of course.

Hesitating, Annabeth picked up her phone, holding it close to the shell of her ear: her first mistake. Immediately, Athena's sharp voice cut through the device, much too loud for the calm of the night. Annabeth winced, holding it a few inches away in disgust.

"Annabeth," Athena began coldly. Annabeth involuntarily flinched in preparation, her fingers already beginning to tremble. Whatever this was, it could not be good, she was sure of that much.

"Mother," Annabeth acknowledged, cringing as soon as the word slipped out of her mouth. Quietly, she berated herself. Athena hated that word, she knew- at least, when it was Annabeth calling her that. Her mother plowed on, purposefully ignoring Annabeth's inability to watch her words.

"What did you do?" Athena challenged. Annabeth's hands only began to shake more and she desperately gripped the edge of her desk. It didn't help that she had absolutely no idea what Athena was talking about, making her head spin. When she said nothing, Athena continued chiding her daughter. "I've just sent you an email," the stern woman snapped. "Open it and tell me, in your own words, what exactly I'm looking at," venom was laced in her words and to Annabeth, it felt like her chest was concaving, crushing upon itself. Dreading whatever was to come next, Annabeth opened her emails on her laptop, cautiously clicking on the link.

Annabeth skimmed over it, horrified. Plastered across various articles was her face- but, she was not alone. Next to her, there he was in all his glory, his raven hair unruly as usual- hair that Annabeth had pushed out of those sea-green eyes countless times. Annabeth swallowed audibly, peering at the photographs of them, one after another. Laughing, talking, her leaving his building, him waiting outside her apartment complex. In one picture, his eyes were twinkling with mirth and his lips with twisted into a teasing grin.

Had she been in any other situation, the photograph of him would have made Annabeth smile fondly, admiring his genuine charm when he didn't know anyone was looking. Now, it made her blood freeze, her palms feeling clammy and cold.

"This is absurd!" Annabeth exclaimed into the phone, gaping as she scrolled through article after article, scoffing at the ridiculous speculations. "Mom," she began, desperately trying to help Athena see reason. "Mom, you have to know that this isn't true, you have to believe me, I would never-"

" _Don't_ call me that," Athena cut her off angrily. Annabeth's knuckles whitened on her desk. "Of course I'm aware you're not _that_ foolish. You would never date him, you're not a _complete_ idiot." Annabeth relaxed momentarily. "You're only a halfwit for being photographed!" Athena snarled. Annabeth's stomach turned over in her stomach. She couldn't lose her mother, not after she'd only just got her back. They were a family and though she suspected nobody else understood their strange power dynamic, Athena was all she had left. She couldn't let it go so easily.

"Athena, _please_ ," Annabeth practically begged. "I didn't mean to-"

But Athena wasn't finished. However, to Annabeth's relief, she had stopped yelling. Annabeth brought the phone close to her ear once again. "I shouldn't have to tell you this, especially considering this is the _second_ time I've found pictures of you both in the press." At that, Annabeth grimaced; it was a tough blow to her pride. "You are absolutely prohibited from sleeping with him."

Annabeth's mouth fell open in surprise at her mother's bluntness. Her first reaction was a cold fear enveloping her, her throat feeling uncomfortably constricted and dry. _How did she know?_ Only after a beat had passed did Annabeth realize that her mother was merely warning her and therefore, had no solid evidence to scold Annabeth.

"I would never," Annabeth argued, hastily composing herself. If only Athena knew the truth, it would be off with her head, Annabeth suspected. "That's ridiculous, how can you even suggest that? Athena, I'm-"

"I don't care," her mother flared, making it clear that the discussion was over. Annabeth obediently fell silent. "Just don't."

Annabeth's heart sank in her chest as the line went dead, Athena briskly hanging up. She was making her choose and if the blonde was being entirely honest with herself, she didn't know what to do. It felt like a second stab to her previous blow, like rubbing salt in a wound, admitting that she didn't know something. Her pride was splattered in pieces at the foot of her chair. Much to her embarrassment, it took a couple of minutes for her body to stop quivering.

Percy was all broken now, she could not bear to burden him with her issues. But the situation, now matter how much she'd avoided it in the past, had finally arisen. It was her mother or Percy. Percy or her job, her mother, her life. That much was clear. Athena may have been thrown off course this one time, but the bliss would not remain for long, Annabeth already knew. Athena was like a German Shepherd, sniffing out Annabeth's lies and tracking her down, out for blood.

A couple months ago and this would have been the easiest decision in the world. Athena was it for her, her only family, her chance to inherit a family business and corresponding legacy. Annabeth had always worshipped the ground her mother walked on. She owed Athena everything. She alone had put her faith in a daughter she'd left a long time ago and though Annabeth had given sweat, tears, and blood to rise to the top of _Stone Records_ , not once relying on sheer nepotism, Annabeth credited Athena for her own personal success. Without her, she was nothing, Annabeth had always known, always believed. She could not bear to part with all she'd known.

But Percy… she really did love him. It hurt to think about, even the thought of leaving him made something twist all wrong inside. Despite Athena's teachings that love had no place in business, that it didn't exist, that she did all this for Annabeth, to secure a family legacy and make their name known to every household in the world, Annabeth had fallen and _hard_. There was no denying it. But how could she give up everything she'd ever known, even for him?

Love wasn't enough. It would never be enough. Love came and went, fading out of existence, Annabeth had always thought. Now was no different.

The choice was simple; there was simply no way she could give up her world. Annabeth was not one to cry at the drop of a hat, but tears reluctantly burned behind her eyes, though she refused to let them fall. With trembling fingers, she picked up her phone. Her heart was being torn in half, but Annabeth had known all along that one day it would come down to this and she wasn't about to change the trajectory of her life for a stupid whim.

Pressing on the contact, so familiar to her, she held the phone to her ear, tapping her perfectly manicured fingernail against the glass in a steady, nervous rhythm. Her heart raced as she waited for them to pick up. No matter how she tried to console herself, Annabeth couldn't shake the feeling overcoming her; it felt like a death sentence.

"Annabeth." It wasn't a question, not like most people: _hello?_ It was just her name, soft, comfortable in his mouth. His voice almost undid her right then and there, his sureness in her. She could practically imagine his head tilted a little to the side, his mouth curving up when he saw it was her calling. Instead, she steeled herself, her voice sounding detached to her own ears as she uttered the most dreaded four words in the English language.

"We need to talk."

* * *

"Do you always fidget so much?"

Leo dropped a string of paper clips in surprise, glancing up at the door. She had her hands on her hips, her lips twitching at the corner as she attempted, and failed, to feign sternness. Leo involuntarily grinned. He swept the mess of office supplies on his counter into the pen holder without another thought; he would deal with it later.

"Callie," he greeted as she took a seat behind the counter with him.

"Business slow today?" Calypso inquired, peering at Leo curiously. Rarely did she come in to find him sitting behind the counter than tinkering with the machinery in the garage.

He clicked his tongue, pulling a rubber band out of the pen holder and screwing around with that instead. "Nah. I'm just waiting for a shipment of parts," he briefly explained. "Should be coming in any hour now."

"Hour?" she raised an eyebrow, hiding a sweet smile. He was so impatient and she was surprised he'd managed to last seated this long. Leo nodded obediently, flinging the rubber band across the store. It soared through the air, slapping into the wall across from them before falling to the ground. Leo smirked then, pulling another rubber band out. This time he aimed for metal coat rack. When he released the tension, it flung into the metal with a _ping,_ but did not wrap around one of the hooks, much to Leo's disappointment.

"Let me try," Calypso piped up. Leo snorted, silently handing her a red rubber loop. Calypso squinted at the hanger, pursing her lips in concentration. Her golden eyebrows knit together in determination, and drawing the band back with her index finger, she let it go. Together they watched as it curved onto the lowest rung. Callie beamed triumphantly, looking to Leo expectantly.

"Not bad," the small Latino boy admitted. "But can you do this?" he challenged. Staring intently at the coat rack, he let the band loose, watching gleefully as it spun around on the top rung. He immediately recognized the competitive gleam in Calypso's almond eyes and handed her another one without another word. She sent it towards the top rung as well, but instead, it fell anticlimactically to the ground just short of the rack. She glowered at the pen cup, leaning over Leo and taking another one for herself.

Valdez just smugly grinned to himself.

"Just you wait. I'll show you," she sniffed disdainfully, flinging a couple more and landing the top rung only once.

It probably wasn't the smartest use of their time, but ever since Leo had come around, momentarily putting aside his inferiority complex, they'd quickly realized that they weren't exactly your typical, cookie-cutter couple. Formal dates were awkward, something they'd realized real quick. Leo still shuddered at the scent of popcorn:

 _Calypso glared at him, sending shivers down his spine. She was not one to often throw such a dirty look. Had he already messed up? They'd barely made it through one first date. In all honesty, Leo had been expecting her eventual rejection once she understood what a freaking loser he was. Nothing could have prepared him for what she was going to do next._

 _The popcorn kernel hit him in the face. Leo blinked slowly._

" _Did you just throw popcorn at me?"_

" _No," she denied, a handful of popcorn in her hand- incriminating evidence against her statement._

" _I think you did."_

" _I think you're wrong."_

" _What'd I do?" he looked uncomfortable, awkward, and somewhat upset._

 _Finally, she huffed, turning to look at him properly. "You're acting weird," Calypso accused._

" _What?"_

" _Like that!" she pointed out. "You would've just accepted being weird, no questions asked. Stop making things strange!" She pelted him with another popcorn kernel._

 _Leo let out a sound of protest, swatting it off him. She replaced it quickly, throwing another one. It his nose this time._

" _Stop it!" he hissed, not wanting to interrupt the theater, no matter how empty. Calypso only threw another one rebelliously. Leo stole some popcorn from the bucket, retaliating. It felt very childish, but what else was a guy supposed to do?_

 _Eventually, they'd left the movie theater… you know, after the guy running the movie kicked them out. Smelling of butter, Leo had walked her back to her house. Their awkwardness had melted away as the mess in the theater increased. A popcorn war had been fun, at least, not like them awkwardly sharing a popcorn bucket and squirming every time their hands made contact. Calypso had laughed finally, once standing outside the door to her apartment._

" _Should I be concerned?" Leo asked dryly. "Usually people laughing to themselves in quiet hallways is considered lunatic-behavior," he remarked, much to Calypso's amusement._

" _I had fun," she said instead in the moment of levity._

" _Really?" Leo couldn't disguise his surprise. He supposed, once they'd fallen back into their usual pattern of bickering, and chucked extra popcorn at each other for good measure, it_ had _been fun._

" _Can I come watch you work on cars next week?" Calypso suggested. Leo understood immediately: at least he wasn't the only one who thought that maybe dates weren't all that they were cracked up to be._

" _Not a fan of the movie theater?" he joked. Calypso shared a knowing smile with him._

" _I'll see you Tuesday, popcorn boy," she retorted, brushing some unpopped kernel shells out of his dark hair. She stepped into her apartment, glancing at him in amusement one last time before shutting her door softly behind her._

Clearly dates weren't their thing. What about the typical talk of feelings and unshakable love? How about no. Calypso was more than content to watch him fiddle with his machinery, quickly moving on from problem to problem and solving them all. Similarly, Leo was easily entertained by her quick wit and subtle insults. She was clever, something he cherished above all else.

They were new at this, he knew, but maybe things weren't so bad after all. Leo still had bad days of course. Days where he didn't want to see anyone, holing up in his garage. Days where he felt into this seemingly endless abyss of darkness, one with no return. Days where he would hardly sleep or eat, and wouldn't even notice it until he was about to faint because he _just didn't care_. But every second spent with Calypso, living life the Callie way, things got a little better. From eating regularly to enjoying human interaction in small doses, she was really taking a toll on him for the better. With time, things could only get even better. With time, anything could happen. Leo had never been an optimistic, looking at life only one step at a time, never anticipating the years that were to come.

However, sitting by her side and watching her compete in a stupid rubber band contest, Leo realized he'd never been more excited for the future than he was now.

* * *

"I'm resigning."

As seasoned as Athena was, she could not mask her surprise.

"Excuse me?" she choked out, folding her hands together in front of her and trying to compose herself. Her expression was that of cold indifference, but it was clear she was shell-shocked.

"I'm resigning. I must apologize; I don't mean to make it seem like this has been an unpleasant career. I love it in fact, but I'm making the executive decision to work somewhere else. According to the rules of the record company, there are many things I cannot do here that I can do somewhere else. Thank you for giving me a start and a chance. I cannot possibly repay you."

Athena blinked, the lines around her mouth tightening. "You can't leave." Not a question, not a suggestion, but a demand.

"I'm sorry, truly. Thank you for everything, but unfortunately, I've already made up my mind and the decision is quite concrete. I'm afraid this discussion is over. I've already found another offer from another place. I think I'll be a much better fit there."

Athena stood up to match, shaking hands, though still in shock, and definitely something that could be recognized as anger. "May I ask where you're going now?" she asked through gritted teeth.

With an unwavering voice, " _Thunderworks._ " Athena's competitor and Jason Grace's company. "It was nice to know you."

Athena dipped her head as they parted ways, though more out of social customs than because she felt forgiving. She was a shark, she never forgave. The door shut softly behind, so quiet and calm that it was almost silent. Athena stared blankly at her desk before the fury began to rage inside of her. Harshly punching her passcode into her phone, she scrolled through her contact list, picking a number after a moment.

"I request your presence at once," she spat furiously, before hanging up with a final click.

.

.

.

.

.

"This is entirely your fault!" Athena barked out glaring at the presence in the chair across from her. "Nobody would have left had you been more responsible. You might as well leave, too!" she added, as an afterthought. She was smiling though, a cruel kind of smile, the type that burned you deep to your bones.

"You made this mistake and you will fix it, or you will never, _ever_ show your face here again. Is that understood?" She peered critically down at the smaller-framed person. At their nod, Athena mirrored their actions, pleased. "Good," she announced with a tone of finality, effectively dismissing her companion.

* * *

Annabeth raced down the hallway, stopping short before the elevator. She peered at the down arrow, already all lit up. Scowling, she pushed past the staircase doors, flying down the large flight of stairs. She could make it to the bottom before the elevator, she was quite confident. And if she couldn't… no. There was no alternative; she had no other choice.

Her blonde curls hitting her in the face as she stormed out the ground floor door, she practically leaped out onto the main floor. Scouring the groups of people, in search of one person in particular, she dug her nails deep into her flesh. Perhaps the pain would distract her from her wild heartbeat, about to burst from anxiety and yet, exhilaration. Then she saw him and she could've sworn, her heart nearly contracted right there and then. Any traces of pride immediately left her soul the second she saw his dark hair dip out the door. It felt like abandonment, it felt like she was just a little girl all alone again, her mother choosing her job over her, and her father, choosing to leave her behind and play pretend with a whole new family, as if she could be easily replaced- just like that. Perhaps she could, she acknowledged. But he could not be replaced, not for anything, not for anyone.

She was running before she knew it, her heels clicking against the hard, marble and glass floors. She ignored the strange glances from fellow colleagues.

"Percy!" a guttural cry left her throat, unable to help it. Her words fell on deaf ears as he stepped outside, only to get lost in the mass of crowds on the Manhattan streets. Wrapping her blazer around her tighter, Annabeth darted between all sorts of people. She was beginning to feel dizzy and overwhelmed. Everyone was so different: short, tall, average-height, heavyset, skinny, lean, muscular, bulky, brunet, black hair, blond, redhead, green eyes, hazel, blue, grey, brown, and every shade in between. But none of them were him, nobody could compare.

"Percy!" Annabeth repeated, calling out to him as she spotted his dark hair bobbing through the people. She struggled, elbowing her way through the crowd and prompting overlooking the rude and angry comments that were, she knew, well within their rights to complain about. The second time she said his name, he turned around, his eyebrows raised as he searched the mob for the source of the sound- almost as if she were a mere phantom voice in his head. "Percy," she said, this time more to herself. As if it had summoned him, his sea green eyes finally focused in on her, undeniably sad, but firm. He thought he was doing this for her own good, she deducted with dismay. Less than five seconds later, she had made her way to his side, standing right in front of him. The blood roaring in her eyes blocked out the murmurs of angry New Yorkers as they angrily told them to stop standing in the middle of the sidewalk. Gently, he led her by the elbow to the corner of _Stone Records._ He slipped a foot into the thin alley, away from the busy New York bustle. It felt like their own safe haven, but it would not last, they both knew.

"Percy," Annabeth repeated for the nth once they were over on the side, whispering his name almost like she needed to engrave it in her memory so that she would never forget. "You're leaving?"

He looked like a deer caught in headlights. Her heart dropped in her chest. "You can't," the blonde began, frantic. Her wide eyes darted around as she roughly carded her fingers through her golden locks. "Please, Percy, you can't," her voice felt small, caught in her throat. He opened his mouth to object, but she interrupted once more. She couldn't let this happen, she couldn't lose him, not now. "Please, Percy, please please don't leave me," Annabeth pleaded, the coldness eating away at her soul. She wouldn't survive this blow. She'd already been through too much; this was sure to be the final straw, destroying her for good. She felt clingy and stupid, but she latched onto his wrist- the good one, the right one that was not currently in an arm sling.

Percy shook his head, mournfully. "Annabeth," he began, his voice soft, gentle, pained, understanding. _No, no, no, no._

"No, Percy," she choked out, tears welling at the corners of her eyes. She'd never been an emotional person, not till she'd met him, not till he'd brought out something raw, vulnerable, and undeniably human in her. She didn't know whether to slap him, blaming him for ruining her once strong, unflappable facade, or thank him for allowing to feel anything. It was too hard to be alone, to be numb forever. "No," she refused. She was frightened, big wide eyes that would have been almost comical had she not been on the verge of an emotional breakdown.

"I have to," he explained, carefully. Annabeth was still denying his words, shaking her head to himself, mouthing his name over and over again. "You called me and told me yourself. You don't want to lose your mom. You don't want to lose all that you've worked for. I understand, Annabeth. I do, really," he cupped her chin with his right hand, tilting her face up to look him in the eye. It was such a familiar gesture that Annabeth felt the irrational need to sob. She bit her lip instead, nearly drawing blood.

"And believe me, Wise Girl. It's going to be hard, really. But I've got to do this. I've got to let you live your life. I can't let you throw this all away, not for me." He shook his head, solemn. "You've worked too hard for this to lose it now." At her painful silence, he continued, trying his best to console her. "Jason offered me a job at _Thunderworks_ ," Percy admitted, rubbing a comforting small circle on the inside of her wrist. "I'll still be singing, I'll still be doing what I love, but you just won't be my manager," he broke the news as delicately as possible.

"I can't love you, not when I'm at _Stone Records._ I c-can't, Annabeth." His facade cracked, if only for a moment. A weak chink in his armor. "I can't hide my feelings like you can, I'm not good like that. I can't sit there and not want to hold you close to me, or trace your hand constantly, or curl your hair around my finger. I can't help it." He shrugged, not quite meeting her eyes. "Your mother won't let me love you, not when I'm signed under her company. Nothing past business relationships, you know that better than I do, Beth," Percy reminded her, carefully.

Annabeth shook her head stubbornly. "Even if you go there," she forced herself to speak with pathetically breaking down. "I won't be able to, I c-can't, she won't let me near you ever again. It doesn't matter that it's you. It doesn't matter who. I have to work for her, no relationships. It won't change, even if you leave. So please don't leave me. Please, Percy, please don't go," she begged, squeezing his hand tightly.

Perhaps she could fool herself into believing they were back in her apartment, cuddled up on the couch, his hand in hers. It was a small comfort, but his solace was still worth more to her than anything else. Percy allowed her the small comfort, if only for a few moments before he walked right out of her life forever.

He frowned. If he was being completely honest, he knew that was going to happen. He knew Athena would not for a moment allow her daughter any freedom, any life. But ultimately, this was Annabeth's decision, she knew that herself. She had called Percy immediately after her mother's reprimandation of course, letting him know they were all over the press, letting him know what her mother was asking her to choose, letting him know that she would not leave him, not for anything, but she couldn't leave her mother either, and she didn't know what to do and _Percy, help me, please, you've got to help me. I don't know what to do._

The very thought of him going made Annabeth blanch, her face white like snow.

"I know, Annabeth." It was a small acknowledgement, but it blasted Annabeth's senses, freezing her over. He knew? He knew he would have to give her up if he left and so he was leaving?

"You weren't even going to say goodbye." It wasn't a question, but a statement. She had seen him walk out the door of _Stone Records_ with her very own eyes. Percy's gaze fell in shame.

"It would've hurt too much," he confided, but she just looked angry now, her grey eyes blazing.

Annabeth let his hand drop to his side and took a step back. She clenched her jaw. "She told me to fix it, you know. She told me it was my fault you'd left, that you were a huge asset to the company and if I didn't fix it, I'm pretty much fired."

At that, Percy himself paled. "Annabeth, oh gods, I'm so sorry. I didn't think she'd take it out on you, I just assumed…" he trailed off.

"Yeah, I know," she snapped, furious at herself for becoming so emotionally attached, furious at him for trying to do what he thought was right, and more than anything else, furious at her mother for manipulating her all her life.

"I'll go back and sort it for you, if you-"

Annabeth held up a hand. "No, Perseus." He flinched at his given name.

"I'm sorry," he murmured; it was his turn to apologize, but he would not apologize for what she'd expected. "I'm sorry for that day, when I took your plate from you, and then I said I love you, and I'm sorry those three words ever left my mouth because-"

"Stop it," she commanded, her heart breaking into itty, bitty pieces. How could he even apologize for that? Percy looked hurt, but he understood her choice. "Why are you even apologizing? For not loving me anymore? That's just stupid," she shook her head in distaste. He flinched. She knew how much he loved her and to accuse him of something so terrible, it felt like a big crime, like a felony. It was a low blow, she knew that much too and she got no satisfaction from the comment.

Annabeth glared at him like she was going to punch him and then she did something that surprised him even more. She kissed him. Her kiss seared hotter than any flame and even though he was kind of out of commission, Percy pressed one hand against the brick wall behind her and kissed her back with equal fervor. After a moment, Percy drew away, his eyes still fluttered shut and his forehead pressed against hers. He shook his head and though it was a minute action, she felt it and exercised her best self-control.

"Don't kiss me like that," he mumbled, his mouth a mere centimeter away from hers. If she leaned in just a little, craning her neck, she could steal another breath from him. Annabeth resisted the temptation.

"What?" she whispered, a dent forming between her eyebrows, puzzled.

"Don't kiss me like this is the last time you'll ever see me," he breathed. At that, she fell silent. He drew away, much to her disappointment, and pursed his lips in determination. For a second, she feared what he was about to do. He often acted rashly, off pure impulses. She feared not for herself, but for him.

"Percy," she warned, trailing off at the dangerous fire in his eyes.

"To hell with this," he muttered under his breath. Her lips parted in surprise. He backed away carefully, his expression hardening.

"Percy?" she warily inquired. He darted out of the alley, quick on his feet despite his injuries. "Percy!" she called after him, cringing as he weaved through cyclists and pedestrians swiftly. He would injure himself again, the big idiot. "What the hell?!" Annabeth stumbled out of the alley as well, equal parts panicked and bewildered.

He turned back to face her, if only for a moment. He seemed so confident, so sure that for a moment, even her own worries melted away.

"Go home!" he called after her. "I'm going to fix it!" There was a crazed look in his eyes, one she'd seen so many times, often right before he did something incredible, or insane, or both.

"Are you out of your mind?!"

He grinned, a familiar, mischievous smirk that she'd fallen in love with before she even knew it. Her heart skipped a beat. He said nothing, only winking, and turned to run the other way. She bit back a retort, stopping herself from cautioning him to be careful. He knew already. His kiss still tingling on her lips, Annabeth dazedly turned around and walked to the subway staircase, almost as if on autopilot. She really, really hoped Percy knew what he was doing.

* * *

Annabeth woke, startled and peered first at her alarm clock on the side of her bed. She frowned; it was hardly one in the morning, so obviously _something_ had woke her up. Groaning, she rubbed her eyes in exhaustion.

 _Ping._

Something hit her window and cautiously, she stood and put on her robe, sliding open the door to the balcony. The moment she opened the door, something soared through the air, skittering on the hardwood in her apartment. She let out a tiny shriek of surprise as it sailed past her ear, missing her by barely an inch.

" _Shit_ ," she heard someone curse from down below. Peeking over the ledge, she squinted at the figure standing on the grass.

" _Percy?_ " she stumbled back, caught off guard.

"Sorry," he mumbled sheepishly.

She stared at him for a good minute, blinking in disbelief. "Why are you standing outside my apartment complex at one in the morning like a lunatic and throwing rocks at my window like a lovestruck high schooler?" she asked dryly, folding her arms across her chest. She had not seen him for four days, the most she'd gone without his presence once he'd run out of the alleyway on her. Percy chuckled down at ground floor.

"Come down," he whisper-yelled, beckoning with his arm, his eyes gleaming dangerously. Annabeth's face burned red.

"I am not coming down in _Alice in Wonderland_ pajamas," Annabeth hissed, wrapping her fluffy grey robe around her tighter. At that, Percy threw his head back and laughed.

"Are they really?" he asked after a moment, amused. She eyed her appearance and didn't answer because they was indeed plastered with the Mad Hatter's hat and the Cheshire Cat's grin. "I'll come up then," he compromised. "Buzz me in."

Annabeth rolled her eyes, sassily muttering a few choice words under her breath, but nonetheless, she disappeared from his view and buzzed him in from her living room. Less than six minutes later, there was a rap at her front door. She shut the balcony door, double checking that it was locked again, and slid the curtains closed once more. Then she made her way to the door, swinging it open wide and ushering him inside. His hair was damp, like he'd just showered. Why he was showering at one in the morning was a mystery to her.

He smirked at her appearance, eyes raking over the PJs. "Cute," he nodded, smiling sideways at her. She scoffed, looking up at the ceiling and hoping her blush would fade quickly.

"Is that all you came to say?" she muttered quietly, gesturing for him to take a seat on the couch. He obliged, sinking into the cushions, but not once tearing his gaze away from her.

"I figured it out," he panted, winded. Annabeth frowned. He should not have been running, not with all his injuries. Even though his ribs had nearly healed completely, his face was still dark with browned scars that would eventually shed to reveal the fresh, smooth skin she was used to, and his arm was completely out of whack.

"Pardon me?" she rubbed her eyes again, trying to pay attention. His face was bright, the day in the night.

"I figured it out," he repeated. At this, she threw him an irritated glare.

"Figured what out?" Annabeth asked slowly, patronizingly.

"I was talking to Jason," he began excitedly, ignoring her tone. Annabeth's mood immediately soured, the wound of his missing presence reopened and fresh all over again. Athena had not actually fired her, but they were not currently on speaking terms. "You start Monday," Percy finished, excitedly, and only then Annabeth realized she'd zoned out on his explanation completely.

She blinked. "What?"

Percy didn't seem to notice. He beamed at her and despite all that had happened, she found herself resisting a smile. "You start at _Thunderworks_ on Monday. It's better pay, it's with someone much nicer; all you have to do is quit."

Annabeth blinked once more, slowly this time. "You… you got me a job at my mother's rival company?" she had a hard time comprehending this. Percy's smile wavered.

"I thought you'd be more excited."

Annabeth sunk low into the cushions across from him, resting her head in her hands. "I'm so confused. How did you- how- what?"

He pursed his lips, apparently taking pity on her. "I was talking to Jason. He's the most polite person I know and yet, even he doesn't like Athena. I know you're in a bad place. I know your mother is constantly punishing you for things that aren't even your fault. I also know you're way too smart, too talented to be put in such a crappy job, overworking yourself not even to get any sort of recognition, which just makes me really angry." His eyes turned a dark green, if only for a moment. "He recognizes, like me, your value. He's willing to make you partner, Annabeth. _Partner._ You and Jason. And I talked to him: even if I have a record deal there, they have no rule against dating as long as it's not taking up time in work, as long as we aren't demonstrating PDA all over the office. You could have it all, Wise Girl," his voice softened, warm and hopeful. His finger nervously tapped against the armchair of the couch, a steady rhythmic representation of Percy's familiar mannerisms; it oddly calmed her restless soul.

There was a brief moment of silence. "You want me to go against my mom?" Annabeth whispered, glancing up at him.

He paused. "Look Annabeth. I know you love her, okay? I know you guys have this weird power relationship going on and I know you think of her as family-"

"She _is_ family," Annabeth interrupted. Percy hesitated, sighing before continuing.

"I know she's your family," he amended, nodded slightly at her. "And I won't pretend to understand your relationship. I will never understand how whenever she wants something, you're at her beck and call. I will never understand why you want to please her so much, I never will, okay?" Annabeth nodded slowly, her breath hitching.

"But I know you. I know when you're hurting and I know she hurts you an awful lot." Percy waited then, scanning her up and down, trying to gauge her reaction. Annabeth's jaw set, but for once in her life, she did not disagree, she did not argue.

"And I know this is partly my fault. It's my fault for leaving _Stone Records_ and joining the rival business. But Annabeth, you could still have it all. You could make even more money doing what you love forever. You could work alongside one of my best friend's brother, someone who I would trust with my life, and you'd never have to worry about that sort of thing again. You'd never have to feel Athena's manipulation again. You can rekindle the rivalry if you miss it, as I'm sure Athena will do when she realizes you've switched sides. You can show her all that she gave up by ending this stupid feud, by having _Thunderworks_ do better than _Stone Records._ "

Annabeth inhaled sharply, taking a moment to just breathe. "Percy, that's- that's incredible." His face lit up, clearly ecstatic that she was even considering switching. "But Percy, that's a lot to handle. I don't know if I can, if I can go against her like that," Annabeth shook her head no.

It felt too good to be true. To be able to love Percy openly, to be his _girlfriend_. Just the thought made her heart race ten times faster and she thought she was going to have a stroke. To be a partner especially alongside someone she'd always respected; Jason was always a man of his word, valuing integrity more than anything else. She'd always admired that about him. While Athena would do anything to get on top, Jason played fair and square. She really could have it all.

Except her mother. She would lose her only blood family if she went through with the offer and even though Annabeth very well knew that blood wasn't always family, that she found her solace in Piper, Calypso, and even Percy, it wasn't the same. It would never be the same. "Percy…"

He shook his head, his dark eyebrows furrowing. "I can't make the choice for you, Annabeth. I can only open doors for you. It's up to you," he spread his arms, gesturing wildly.

"That's a lot of pressure- Percy!" she snapped as his rhythm became faster and faster, effectively freaking her out. She was slowly panicking, losing control of everything around her. Her entire life could go either way in a matter of seconds. Then she felt his hand sliding into hers, warm and comforting.

He shook his head at her. "You'll make the right choice, I promise."

"What if I don't?" Annabeth dared to ask, her gaze flickering up to look at him.

"You will," said Percy without a moment of hesitation, fully assuring. "And even if you realize you want something else afterwards, even if you may not be able to get the exact same two choices ever again, you can always fix it later. I'm not going anywhere," he promised. He slid his tongue over the flat of his teeth, carefully considering her situation. "Do you want to sleep on it?" he offered.

Annabeth's fingers twitched nervously, but she looked up at him, a fire burning in her soul, in her heart, and in her eyes- a fire he had gotten so used to that it brought a smile to his face. She firmly shook her head no and this time, her voice didn't waver. Raising her chin confidently, she silently locked in her answer. There was no turning back now.

"No. I've made my decision." She put her other hand on top of his, sandwiching his palm in between both of hers. Annabeth looked him in the eye boldly, newfound courage empowering her.

For once, she didn't look back.

 **A/N: Sooo, a lot happened. The next post will be the last chapter. I'm not sure if I should be excited or nostalgic, seeing as this was kinda my first** _ **real**_ **fanfic, with multiple chapters that were long enough to count as true separate chapters.**

 **Let me know what you thought, mkay? Stay safe xx**

* * *

 **aaquater:** Hey, I just wanted to apologize first off. I realized after I'd published the last chapter that I'd replied to your review but wrote "mylifeisogre" instead of your username. Sorry if that caused any confusion. I have no idea tbh why I was wholly convinced that was your username for a good five minutes when I skimmed the chapter before publishing. :P As surprising as it may sound, I've never had mayo, so I can't relate. I just know lots of people detest it haha.

Oh, I adore Nico with every fiber in me and agree completely. He's been through hell, _literally_ too. I've always felt like he's underrated and one of the best portrayed characters in the Greek/Roman universe. There's just this depth to him that not all the characters have and I've also felt like people don't give him enough credit. Though not single handedly, he stopped the big battle in the original series by convincing freaking Hades himself, he's the only one Dionysus actually calls correctly by name because even Dionysus cannot help but respect/like him, and not to mention, he went through Tartarus _voluntarily_ and _alone._ (Also, can we just appreciate how fucking powerful he is, even though he doesn't constantly boast or display it? Bryce deserved what he got *sips tea*) Plus so much more, but I'll stop now because I realize I'm kinda ranting haha. He's just my baby and I get carried away :)

Oh, for sure. I can already imagine Annabeth glaring at him with her hands on her hips and sending him back to his bed like a stern mother after catching him canoodling with his guitar in a corner, almost like Percy's trying to conceal him and his guitar's love affair lol. (Also, I have no idea why this was the first image that popped into my head.)

 **Reader:** Yes, I'm so glad you enjoyed the Jason x Nico interactions! Their dynamic in the canonverse has always been one of my favorite things ever. YES! You are a godsend, I swear. I _completely_ agree; so many people forget their bond and it's a damn shame, really. One of the best fucking platonic relationships in the whole series, hands down, no question about it.

Honestly, regarding your comment on Percy, I think I've just always viewed as extremely self-deprecating. I know most of the fandom sees him as this goofy guy, and though he certainly knows how to joke- even with stupid humor (e.g. the Nike and Adidas joke from BoO), I've always felt like it's not truly his main personality, only something that occasionally shines through his pessimistic, nihilistic demeanor. Although we all adore his sarcasm, myself included, I think he's a bit darker than most people think. Not necessarily in a Dark!Percy, revenge, blood-thirsty kinda way, like FF authors see him, but in a self-hatred way. Almost like, to a certain degree, he feels that he doesn't deserve any happiness and so he spends his time worrying and cherishing people around him, often forgetting to take care of himself. It also explains a lot about his fatal flaw: loyalty. I dunno, that's just my two cents on the whole thing. You don't have to agree, I know most people have argued with me on this. :)

I'm very pleased you enjoyed the 'I love you moment.' I was really fighting with that scene because I kinda dread fluff a little :P When it gets too fluffy, it feels inauthentic, unreasonable, and unrealistic (that alliteration tho). I spent lots of time ripping my hair out on that, so I appreciate the compliments. Not to worry! This is definitely _way_ too long haha, but like I've said before, I get carried away easily. Thank you so much for all the kind words, I'm really very surprised and yet, flattered. I kinda needed this today :) I hope, should you read my later works, that you enjoy them too.


	35. Wings Are Made To Fly

**A/N: Thank you for the inspiration. All of you. Without your encouraging words, I might have never gotten through 35 chapters of writing (which doesn't sound like a lot, but to me, it was really intimidating in the beginning.)**

 **Also Happy Star Wars Day! Idk how many of you guys are into Star Wars, but I'm a** _ **huge**_ **Star Wars fan, so may the fourth be with you :) (PS Who saw the new trailer? I know it came out two weeks ago but I totally forgot to mention it. THE EVIL LAUGH AT THE END. I won't spoil anything for anyone, but I def recognized that laugh immediately. Please tell me** _ **he's**_ **going to be in the new movie! :O He was always badass)**

 **Totally off topic, but I auditioned and got accepted into the top orchestra of my high school! I'll be the** _ **only**_ **sophomore next year! :D iM SCREAMING lol. I just had to share; I'm bursting with excitement XD**

 **Disclaimer: All rights remain. Also, credit to Cassandra Clare's City of Glass for one line. Btw, implications of le citron at the end of the first scene, but nothing explicit duh.**

 **Additionally, I would like to say beforehand that this story is no way affiliated with any religious group. Though there is mention of God with a big G in the last scene, it isn't necessarily pointing to the Christian faith (I'm not even of the Christian faith, if that knowledge helps you believe my words). But I've always felt that after all Percy's been through (and Annabeth as well), their views on any sort of higher power are kind of a big deal to their characters; they have always believed they are alone because they have always felt truly that they're alone. It's only meant to demonstrate that they make peace with themselves and their lives after this big adventure, not to preach or dissuade any religion from any of you. And that's it for this PSA lol.**

"What the fuck is feng shoo-ee?"

" _Feng shui,"_ Annabeth corrected, putting her hands on her hips and glancing at him with amusement. She stood in the middle of his bedroom, her hair tied back out of her face. "And it's a practice based on the idea that our homes are a mirror of what's happening inside us," the blonde briefly explained.

Percy looked at her blankly in utter and complete confusion. He leaned up onto his elbows to better see her face. "Example?" Annabeth's heart swelled at the absolutely adorable expression on his face.

"Let's say you were a teacher and you were figuring out the best way to organize your classroom space," she began, her lips curving up in a sweet smile when she saw that his entire attention was on her. Percy was always like that, refusing to do anything half-assed. If he was looking at you, he gave you the entire spotlight; if he listened to you, your voice was the only thing he was aware of; if he touched you, he left you sparking with electricity. And if he loved you, he loved you with every fiber in his body, robbing you of any chance to recover from his loyalty.

"You might consider clustering a few desks together to make table groups rather than leaving each desk by itself in rows and columns. That way the environment feels more open and not as cluttered. Additionally, it feels very friendly, like it's encouraging socialization."

Percy nodded slowly. "Okay, so… what does this have to do with the bedroom?"

Annabeth wrinkled her nose and examined her surroundings. Though Percy had been living in his own apartment for a couple weeks now, he had not bothered to pick out furniture or even a general theme. Anything and everything in his bedroom that he'd bothered with was, simply, very, _very_ blue. When Annabeth had asked him about it, he'd shook his head in exhaustion, claiming that it was too overwhelming to match this and that. Plus _it's so boring, Wise Girl save me._ Then he'd proceeded to make a joke about carpet and drapes, forcing Annabeth to quickly look the other way before he saw her laugh at his stupid sense of humor.

Never one to back down from a challenge, Annabeth had agreed to tackle the issue herself. Percy was sprawled across the white, pristine sheets of his bed, tossing a tennis ball up and catching it out of boredom- at least, that's why Annabeth _assumed_ he was partaking in such a ridiculous waste of time.

"You don't even have any coherent theme to your bedroom," Annabeth pointed out, raising an eyebrow at him. He was on his back in order to give his left arm and its sling plenty of room. Occasionally he would pause his little game of catch to sip the milkshake on the ground next to him. True to her word, Annabeth had been drilling him with all forms of calcium: milk, yogurt, kale, the list just went on and on. She was like an overbearing mother, insisting that he needed all the nutrients to repair his broken bones. Additionally, she'd provided a full thirty minute lecture explaining why younger people's cells repaired faster- a lecture that had made Percy regret asking the question in the first place, she suspected.

"Yes, I do," Percy defended, shooting her a look. She held up her hands in mock surrender.

"Oh yeah, what is it? Blueberries?"

Percy pouted playfully. "Blue is magnificent," he stated.

"Sure," said Annabeth, amiably. "But… everywhere?" she critically scanned his living space. "You have such a sumptuous apartment with a grand view of New York and you… you just… really, Percy?"

He scowled at the ceiling. "Shut up," he said darkly, making her chuckle lightly.

"Mature," she smirked. "Just drink your milkshake, Seaweed Brain."

"I will," he sniffed, childishly slurping loudly and excessively to make a point, staring her down the entire time. She just rolled her eyes.

"Are you done?" she inquired, a condescending tone overtaking her voice. He obnoxiously slurped once more for extra measure.

"Yes," he said finally with a triumphant grin before resuming to fool around with the tennis ball. He was oddly quiet and Annabeth couldn't help but notice the change in his behavior.

"Are you okay?" she asked all of a sudden, effectively shattering the tense silence. Annabeth took a break from obsessively measuring walls not once, not twice, but three times because _Percy, I have to be absolutely sure. And only then can I begin to plan._ She peered at him from across the room, sensing his anxiety. Percy nodded absentmindedly. She didn't want to press, but… "Are you sure?" He bobbed his head once more. "You can tell me anything, you know," she offered, the underlying message in her voice clear as day.

Percy sighed loudly, not bothering to catch the next throw. The tennis ball fell to the ground with a thud, bouncing a little before rolling to the wall across from his bed. He licked his lips nervously, only confusing Annabeth more. He had no reason to be nervous, not around her. "I wanted to ask you something, but…" he paused, thinking, "I'm not sure how you'll take it," he admitted.

Annabeth came and laid down on the bed next to him. Percy scooted over, making plenty of room. Her curls splayed out over the cream-colored pillow and she too gazed up at the white ceiling. "Just spill," she suggested, shrugging slightly. She turned her face to look at him, but he was still staring at the ceiling with a troubled expression on his face.

He frowned. "I know we've technically only been dating for a week," he began cautiously, and Annabeth frowned as well, not quite sure where he was going with this.

She remembered that day vividly. They'd been out at a restaurant, celebrating Annabeth's new partnership at _Thunderworks_ , and the waitress had come up to take their order. Annabeth suspected she knew exactly who Percy Jackson was; she could practically read the waitress' excitement written all over her face. Percy had ended up signing a napkin for her, but that wasn't what was important. " _And for your girlfriend?"_ she'd asked, nodding towards Annabeth. Percy had paused, glancing at Annabeth carefully. She remembered nodding slowly, a gentle smile flitting across their lips. " _We'll split it,"_ Percy had informed her, not correcting the waitress' terminology for Annabeth. The blonde's nod was all the confirmation he needed.

It hadn't been a big moment, Annabeth supposed in retrospect. Their fights had been bigger than their actual seal of their relationship. When she'd asked him about it, he'd had the perfect thing to say, like always. " _Nothing about our relationship has been perfect, so why should our big moments be?"_

Slowly, Annabeth returned from reminiscing their memories, grounded by Percy's shifty behavior. He still had not finished his sentence. "But?" she encouraged.

"But…" his eyebrows furrowed together in concentration. "But I wanted to ask if you'd like to take the next step." His voice was soft, hesitant, Annabeth realized with a jolt of surprise. Usually he was so sure of everything and anything that it was a surprise to her.

"The next step?" she repeated, perplexed by Percy's vague words. "What do you mean?" Annabeth pondered. All of a sudden, she was struck by a startling thought: what if he meant getting married? Her eyes almost bugged out of her head, panic seizing her. " _Marriage?_ " she choked out, sputtering inelegantly and sitting up quickly in the bed.

"What- no!" Percy exclaimed, his cheeks burning red at her thought process. "Oh my god, that's not at all what I was thinking!"

"Oh." She visibly relaxed, her breathing returning to normal. She knew she tended to jump to conclusions, but she couldn't help it. She warily laid back down next to him, but he was still embarrassed, she could tell. Not that she wasn't flushing just as much, if not more.

"Okay, good," she sighed in relief. She was not yet ready for that, but for a moment, she allowed her mind to trail off. She could imagine a life with Percy in a couple years. She could vividly imagine waking up next to him each morning, his angelic face the first thing and last thing she laid her eyes upon each day. She didn't allow herself to think any further, not growing old, not children. She wasn't trying to have a heart attack, not here, not now. But it all felt very close, resting on the tips of her fingers, just barely in reach. It didn't seem so scary, not now that she realized Percy wasn't awkwardly proposing to her after only being her boyfriend for a week. _Boyfriend._ The word still made her giddy and she glanced at Percy with a fond smile. Not business partners, not acquaintances, not friends. Well… she supposed they'd always be friends, in some ways.

"Then what were you thinking?" she inquired, the redness fading slowly as she calmed her wildly palpitating heart.

"I was just asking if you wanted to move in," he revealed casually, almost as if his shock of her implications had made his nervousness regarding his inquiry completely disappear. Annabeth's heart skipped a beat. _Move in. With him. Here._

Now that marriage proposals were out of the way, moving in did not sound as scary as it would have five minutes ago. She imagined Percy did feel rather silly for feeling nervous to ask her to move in.

"It's just-" he proceeded, when she didn't reply. "I know that even if we've only been official for about a week, we've known each other much longer and though we didn't have a title to our time spent together, we still… we still grew together, you know?" Percy glanced at her then. "You love the view and the architecture, I need to finally furnish my apartment anyways, why not just build it for us, not just for me? And you spend enough time here anyways that I think it would save a lot of money-"

"Percy," Annabeth cut him off impatiently. He was beginning to pitch stupid ideas, like money saving, probably unnerved by her lack of response.

"Yes?" His voice was small, afraid of an answer.

"I think that sounds like a good idea," she finished, smiling warmly up at him. He beamed immediately, his pearly whites gleaming from the sun streaming in through the window. "I can't believe you thought I'd say no," she shook her head at him, teasing gently.

"I just didn't want to pressure you!" Percy defended himself, but he was laughing. "I didn't want to be _that_ guy. I just wanted you to know that you always have a choice and you don't have to ever agree with me, and I didn't want to make things awkward, or make you feel like you wouldn't have your own space by moving in with me. I would want you to feel like it was your home, and I worry that if it was a key I gave you, it wouldn't be the same as your own, and I just didn't want-"

Annabeth leaned up to meet his lips with hers, effectively halting his weak ramble as she soundly kissed him. He sighed, content. "You're such a Seaweed Brain," she nudged him lightly, mirth shining in her eyes.

"And you're a Wise Girl. We've already established that," he murmured, nipping at her pulse point on her neck and eliciting a feminine moan.

"We still need to choose the nightstand," she breathlessly protested. He peppered kisses across her collarbone. "A-and then make a list for IKEA." She shuddered at his ministrations.

"Later," Percy promised, the deep vibrations of his voice tickling her skin.

"Percy," said Annabeth, "we have a lot of work to finish." She glanced at him through her eyelashes before letting them flutter shut in bliss.

" _Later,"_ he growled, surely leaving bruises for the next morning- beautiful blue bruises that would remind her of him every time she saw them.

"Later," she finally agreed, sighing in resignation as he trailed kisses up her jaw, fully losing herself in the feeling of him and his warmth and his comfortable touch. He kissed her all over, on her shoulders, her neck, her stomach, her hips, everywhere while she squirmed in ways that made him beg her to keep still or it would be over all too soon. A breathless laugh escaped in between her gasps and still she pressed him to go on, wrapping her smooth, tan legs around his waist.

"I love you," she said, her hands buried deep into his hair. His sea-green eyes went wide, the flecks of gold burning brighter than the sun. It was already an intimate sentiment, one they still refrained from using for fear that it would lose all meaning. But when they were close like this- her palms mapping out his flat planes and sharp angles, his mouth tracing every curve on her body, worshipping her presence and reveling in her warmth, their hearts beating together- it felt all the more intimate, like Annabeth's very soul could burst at any second.

He buried his face in her neck, saying her name over and over before he collapsed against her shoulder. And when finally Annabeth closed her eyes she thought she saw the room light up in a blue aura as it mesmerizingly crashed in itself like ocean waves, enveloping them both in the power and rage of the sea, the most beautiful thing she had ever seen.

* * *

Some days hurt more than others. Some days she would remember her decision and it felt like her lungs were collapsing, her vision blurry, and any source of sound clouding until it was nothing more than a dull ringing in her ears. Some days it felt like dying, like she was being buried alive and no matter how much she begged, they kept shoveling dirt onto her, effectively choking her. Some days she would frown into the glass at the face looking back at her. The lavender circles under her eyes had faded, but still she was weary, just maybe not in the same sleep deprived way. Her steely silver eyes were the same as Athena's- a haunting reminder of all she'd left behind. Athena might as well have disowned her; she was no longer her daughter, Athena had made that much clear the moment Annabeth had walked out of her office.

Curled into Percy's side, she listened to his heartbeat and his steady breathing as he slept peacefully. She envied him- a dark emotion she was immediately guilty for feeling. Percy had always had it much worse than her and she was much better off than him; she _always_ had been so much better off. Shame enveloped her and Annabeth sunk lower under the covers, tracing his forearm absentmindedly. Perhaps the gentle touch could make up for her disgraceful thoughts, no matter how fleeting.

Quietly, she thought about _Thunderworks._ It was a dream working there and it was all thanks to Percy. She hadn't known how freeing it was to make your own decisions, to work with someone as their equal, to _breathe_ again.

No matter how many days hurt, she could not find any regret within her. Jason was a ray of sunshine, always kind, always intelligent. Besides Percy, and though not in the exact same way, Jason was one of the few people who could match her in wit and for turn of phrase- a refreshing change. Jason and her had had a lot more in common than she'd initially expected. Annabeth could vividly remember the solemn expression on his face as they'd spoke together, the conversation taking an oddly serious detour:

" _You know, I'm still quite surprised you said yes," Jason admitted out of the blue._

" _Yes?" Annabeth glanced up at him distractedly. They sat across from each other, papers spread across the long table messily._

" _To working here, to being partner," Jason clarified._

 _Annabeth stiffened. "Why wouldn't I?" Jason and her were business partners, acquaintances perhaps because Percy was their mutual middle ground. He didn't need to know all the details of her confusing background. "It's a good opportunity."_

 _He shook his head slowly. "No," said Jason simply._

" _Excuse me?"_

" _No," he repeated. "It's a good opportunity, yes. But you would've taken over_ Stone Records _sooner or later, earning the same position regardless." Jason had never been the prying type, but he couldn't conceal his curiosity. Annabeth had never thought of him as anything but cordial and this new side to him, the type that wasn't afraid to ask questions, surprised and maybe even intrigued her._

" _That's where you're mistaken." She shook her head. Annabeth wasn't sure what possessed her to reveal it, but the words fell out of her mouth before she could think it through. Jason raised an eyebrow at her. "My mother," Annabeth's voice felt weirdly small at the mention of Athena. "She loves her business too much to give it up to anyone. Until she died, it would still be hers," Annabeth schooled her expression. It was a reckless statement and she immediately berated herself for being so careless with her words. Words had power like none other._

" _I know how it feels," Jason softly agreed, sympathy glinting in his bright blue eyes._

" _You do?" Annabeth inquired, looking him square in the eye._

 _He tilted his head to one side, contemplating her presence. "Yes," he conceded. "My father only gave me_ Thunderworks _because he wished to run off to the Canary Islands with his millionth new lady toy," his voice sobered her up, the bitterness feeling weirdly familiar to her._

 _Annabeth could not hide her shock. Jason had never been so… forthcoming with his personal life and neither had she. They just didn't share that type of bond. "That sucks," she grimly acknowledged. Jason bobbed his head in agreement. "My father ran off too. He's got a new wife and two little boys." Jason's mouth twisted down in understanding. "What about your mother?" she found herself asking._

" _Dead."_

 _Annabeth swallowed hard; she didn't ask how. She could see in his eyes, he would tell her the truth if she asked, if she dared. The look on his face terrified her too much to inquire._

" _Let me guess, your father's cold and stern?" she shrugged._

" _How'd you know?" Jason's lips parted and he stared her down._

" _My mother's the same," Annabeth admitted._

" _Uncanny." Jason grinned sideways at her and she felt herself relax. They could've been twins separated at birth with all their similarities. "Do you hate your mother?"_

" _No," she said immediately. "Do you hate your father?"_

" _No. Do you wish you were born to some other family?" Jason's eyes glittered. Their conversation was quickly becoming a game of speed. No question was off the table, they both knew._

" _No," Annabeth answered honestly. "Do you defend your father from people's criticism?"_

" _Yes," he inhaled sharply. "Do you ever feel trapped?"_

" _Yes. Do you miss your mother?"_

" _Yes," his voice was even. "Do you feel uncomfortable explaining your relationship to others?"_

" _Yes," Annabeth let out. "Do you ever want to refuse him of anything?"_

" _Yes," Jason nodded in full agreement. "Do you think she knows what's best for you?"_

" _Yes. Do you have any good memories with him?" Annabeth leaned into the table further, the conversation increasingly heated by the moment._

" _Yes. Do you think that people are completely right about her?"_

" _No," Annabeth answered. "Do you think of him as family?"_

" _Yes. Do you think her as family?" Jason threw the question back in her face._

" _Yes. Do you wish you could forget him, now that he's off traveling?" Annabeth countered._

" _No. Do you miss her now that you left?"_

" _Yes. Do you love him?"_

" _Yes. Are you afraid of her?"_

" _What?" Annabeth asked, breathless, interrupting their flow. She found herself absentmindedly scooting to the edge of her seat and leaning forward against the corner of the table. The silence wrapped them up warmly, but it wasn't uncomfortable._

 _His jaw was set, his eyes not quite meeting hers at first. "Are you afraid of her?" he asked again after a few moments, finally breaking the quiet. This time it sounded less like a question and rather a statement, as if he already knew the answer, as if he shared the same answer._

 _Annabeth's eyes darted down to the papers in front of her, her throat suddenly constricted and tight. "I think we should send her on a world tour," said the blonde instead, pointing to some numbers on the piece of paper. "It's been requested for long enough now."_

 _Jason nodded, his gaze returning to the papers in front of him. But neither of them forgot the way she'd ignored the last question. It didn't matter because they both already knew the answer for both of them. It didn't matter because it wouldn't change anything. It didn't matter because Zeus and Athena had taught them both to never display weakness, though they had already spilled half of their life secrets to each other in a few mere minutes._

 _The answer, of course, was a resounding yes. Yes, they feared their parents, yes to all of the above. And yes, yes they feared voicing that answer, afraid that their final walls, thin from all the years of emotional impact, would crumble to the ground leaving the pair completely exposed and vulnerable._

" _Me too," was all Jason said, his voice gentler than it had been before their little conversation. The implication of his words were not lost on Annabeth. 'Me too- I think we should send her on a world tour,' that's what anybody else would have thought at first. But Annabeth, she understood him and his implications better than most, especially after their short, intense, speed game of twenty questions. 'Me too- me too, Annabeth, I fear him too, you're not alone.' The two words brought her solace, the knots in her stomach temporarily loosening, if only for a moment._

Shaking herself out of her trance, Annabeth thought back to her best friend, choosing momentarily to forget her intense interaction with the blond superman. Piper- Piper had practically tackled both blonds in excitement when she'd learned that her boyfriend and best friend were working together. Annabeth smiled humorlessly, recalling the brunette's enthusiasm. The breath had been nearly knocked out of Annabeth, temporarily winding her. Annabeth shifted uncomfortably in the bed, remembering the look on her mother's face when she'd walked out of that room. Jason, Athena, Piper, Percy- their faces and voices rang in her head, mixing together in an overwhelming and almost nauseating combination.

"-Annabeth?"

Annabeth jerked next to Percy, looking to her right to stare directly into his squinting sea-green eyes. They shone with concern.

"It's two in the morning. Why are you up?" He turned in the bed to see her better.

She worried her bottom lip, her forehead creasing. "I didn't mean to wake you. I'm sorry."

Percy blinked. "You didn't wake me," he assured her. They both knew it was a lie, but neither said anything about it. Annabeth knew that in sleep too, Percy was extremely protective. She was not surprised that now he had detected her restlessness, even when conked out. One night she'd been having a particularly uncomfortable sleep, reminded by none other than her mother and her choices, that she'd tried to climb out of bed and perhaps get a glass of water instead of risking disturbing her boyfriend's good night sleep. His arm had wrapped tightly around her waist and she'd peered at his face, thinking he was awake. He was still breathing steadily, deep in slumber. Carefully, Annabeth had tried to pry his arm off, thinking it was just his usual cuddling, but no.

" _What are you doing?"_ _he mumbled, sleepily._

" _I'm thirsty."_

" _No you're not." Even half-awake, his voice was so sure. Annabeth's shoulders sagged in defeat._

" _Yes, I am," she insisted._

" _What's wrong?"_

" _Nothing. Let me go."_

" _Nightmares?" he denied her request._

" _No," she lied, immediately flooded with guilt. He was always honest with her. Before she could amend her answer..._

" _It's okay," he promised, running his fingers through her hair, comfortingly._

" _Percy, I'm thirsty," she dared protest, albeit weakly._

" _It's okay," he repeated, his eyes shut, but his body providing her enough warmth. He protectively curled around her. "It's okay not to be strong all the time," said Percy, his voice barely a whisper._

" _But-" she fell silent. "Percy?" Of course he could see through her walls, of course he knew better than she knew herself._

" _Mhm?"_

" _Tell me a story," she requested. He paused, thinking. Finally, he obliged, softly telling her stories of Greek demigods and Gods, of heroes and villains. Of obvious good and evil. It was nice to believe for once that things were so simple, that bad people were inherently bad, that good people were wholly good. After what felt like hours, her eyes finally slid shut, heavy with exhaustion, thinking that life would be so much easier if Athena was completely bad, if Athena was the villain in the storybook and nothing else._

"Percy?" Annabeth felt a little lighter as she recalled his narrations of Ancient Greece and Athens.

"Yeah?"

She swallowed thickly. "I miss her." It felt heavy to admit, but she felt lighter immediately with the burden lifted from her shoulders. Not light enough to feel better- she suspected that wouldn't happen for a while- but light enough to snuggle closer into him.

Percy was quiet for a moment. "I know, Wise Girl," he breathed, stirring the stray hairs in front of her face. His words were simple, but comforting. Annabeth had found that Percy made life a lot easier with his simplicity, especially once she'd moved into his- no- _their_ apartment.

"I don't want to though," she mumbled in a daze. He tenderly traced circles into her back, consoling her with actions. When words failed, actions spoke enough for the both of them. "Do you ever think it'll go away?"

He hesitated. "No."

She nodded, burying her face in his chest and breathing in the familiar scent of the salty sea.

"But it'll get easier," he promised.

"How do you know?" Annabeth felt childish and ridiculous, asking stupid questions for reassurance. Her embarrassment and hurt were still healed, however, when he answered:

"I just do."

* * *

"A bit banged up aren't you?" he skeptically scanned Percy, his steely grey eyes lingering on the black sling.

Percy bobbed his head awkwardly. Truthfully, he wasn't too excited to meet anybody important to Annabeth. It wasn't that he didn't want to become a bigger part of her life, but more so that he was so, _so_ afraid that they wouldn't like him and it would all crumble in front of him. Annabeth was nothing if not loyal and if someone she loved said Percy wasn't good enough, who was to say they were wrong? Who knows, maybe Percy would have believed it as well.

"Well," Malcolm sat back in his chair, peering at Percy with something resembling a small smile- much to the green-eyed boy's relief. "Any friend of Annabeth's is a friend of mine," he declared. Percy had no doubt that Malcolm knew all about his and Annabeth's relationship; him and Annabeth were practically siblings, tied at the hip closer than any friendship- even best friends. They had known each other long enough anyways. Additionally, Percy had no doubt Malcolm knew how he had hurt her and vice versa through their journey together, and yet, here he sat in front of him, accepting Percy easily. Something inside Percy's stomach loosened and he felt an irrational need to cry. Thank god for Malcolm, thank god that someone was taking it easy on him, thank god that Annabeth's "brother" didn't completely hate him.

"Is this the part where you say if I hurt her, you'll kill me?" Percy joked, trying his best to contribute to the conversation. Annabeth had so _conveniently_ left them alone, conjuring up some lame excuse about Piper and running off to god knows where. Percy had accepted that she wasn't coming back anytime soon and he had definitely put together the fact that she'd done this on purpose. He swallowed hard, praying that Malcolm had a sense of humor.

"No," said Malcolm, "If you hurt Annabeth she's quite capable of killing you herself. Possibly with a variety of weapons." The corner of his mouth lifted up in amusement and Percy felt himself relax. Perhaps this wouldn't be as bad as he'd initially anticipated.

"Of course," Percy agreed, shooting a wry grin at the older man. Malcolm tucked his golden curls behind his ear, pursing his lips. It was uncanny, their resemblance. They both shared the trademark blond locks and scary silver eyes, sharp like blades. Apart from physical similarities, they both carried themselves with a sense of importance- though Malcolm seemed more calm and warm- and Malcolm too was finely dressed. "Are you sure you guys are related?" the raven-haired boy inquired, pushing his locks out of his eyes. He needed a haircut- Annabeth had teasingly berated him about it herself.

"Positive," Malcolm assured him, bemused. A muscle in his cheek twitched. "But most people think we truly are related," he explained to Percy, "what with our similar characteristics. Ergo, you are not the first to be mistaken."

"Weird," Percy murmured, shifting uncomfortably in his seat.

"Look," Malcolm interrupted, sensing Percy's uneasiness. "Let's just cut to the chase, shall we?"

"That was terrible," Percy interrupted.

"Excuse me?" Malcolm frowned in confusion.

" _Let's cut to the_ chase _,"_ Percy concealed his amusement. However, much to Percy's surprise, a slow smile spread across Malcolm's face.

"Unintentional," he held his hands palms-up in surrender, grinning from ear to ear.

Percy chuckled good-naturedly, gesturing for him to continue.

"I know all about your relationship, as I'm sure you've deducted already," Malcolm admitted, tilting his head to the side to look at Percy. His gaze was not scrutinizing, not like Annabeth's had been when they'd first met. Percy found himself releasing an involuntary breath of nervousness. "I know you both made your fair share of mistakes, but I know you make her happy," Malcolm said all in one breath. "And that's all that's ever mattered to me. Her happiness," he clarified. _That we both have in common_ , Percy mentally acknowledged. "You've both been through a lot and carry your own baggage, we all know that. I don't weigh down on you guys and so I hope you two learn to share the weight before it crushes both of you," Malcolm stated, quite bluntly.

"I'm sure we'll see much of each other in the future and hopefully, we shall be well acquainted." Malcolm offered a small comforting smile, one Percy was grateful for. Malcolm was much more easygoing that the blonde beauty, that was for sure. "I'm sure you're a good guy and I also know that Annabeth isn't all rainbows and smiles either- she messes up and is the furthest thing from a Saint. Neither her or you require my blessing, not for anything, but I just want you to know you both have my full support. I think," Malcolm paused at last, biting the inside of his cheek thoughtfully.

"I think that you will teach each other a lot and though it won't always be easy, it will be well worth it," he concluded.

Percy was quiet for a moment. "Thank you," he whispered, daring to meet Malcolm's eyes. He gazed down at Percy kindly, and he nodded curtly, standing up and pushing his chair back. Percy followed in suit, relying on Malcolm to take the ropes of the awkward, strangely formal interaction. Malcolm outstretched his hand, fixing the collar of his shirt first.

Percy obliged, shaking his hand firmly. "It was nice to meet you, Malcolm," he acknowledged.

"Likewise, Percy," Malcolm dipped his head politely, slipping his hands in his pockets as he turned and walked the other way, effectively leaving Percy alone with his own thoughts.

Annabeth, he thought, would be pleased to discover that neither Malcolm nor Percy had killed each other in less than an hour. Not that Percy expected such behavior from Malcolm; from what he'd seen, Annabeth's friend was a perfect gentleman. (And not that Percy would ever initiate any sort of fight- he tended to end more of them). Encouraged, Percy turned to walk the other way, an involuntary, yet blissful expression overtaking his face. Malcolm wasn't so bad. Percy made a mental note to later tease Annabeth about her "brother" and his excellent manners, a sharp contrast to her haughty attitude. She was sure to pelt him with another ridiculous throw pillow, but Percy couldn't find it in himself to care very much. In fact, in a strange way, he was looking forward to it. He suspected that if there was a surprisingly fun blonde at their home at the end of each day, he would have few things to ever complain about.

Reveling in the gentle caress of the wind and imagining it was Annabeth's fingers running through his hair, Percy walked to his and Annabeth's apartment, a newfound spring in his step.

* * *

"Five bucks that Nico's blushing because he's got a schoolboy crush."

Thalia grinned at Percy. "No deal."

"Afraid to lose?" Percy taunted, grinning in return.

The dark-haired girl barked out a laugh. "Hell no," her eyes sparkled. "I just agree with your prediction," she smirked, making Percy laugh. "I'm giving it… maybe a month or two before they're together." They both gazed at their small friend, his olive skin and dark clothes a stark contrast to the blond, sunny boy next to him. His shirt read _You'll always have a place in my right ventricle_ with a picture of a medical heart. Percy glanced at Thalia, but she wasn't looking at him, instead smiling fondly at Nico. Percy quickly looked away before she beat him up for seeing her true emotions; she was a good friend, no matter how she tried to hide it. Percy concealed his own smile, standing up and leaving her to converse with her dear little brother when he saw Jason approaching them both. Jason nodded at him, his mouth turning up at the corner- a gesture Percy appreciated and reciprocated.

Despite Percy's natural charisma, he wasn't usually one for social settings- ironic for a big superstar. But here, surrounded by all his friends for his birthday, he found that didn't feel as out of place. He had never been one to make a big deal of his birthday either (it had never felt the same without Sally and in a weird way, he almost found himself despising it), but this felt so right. He friends knew him enough to just wish him Happy Birthday once in the day and then continue on with normal conversation. They didn't hover over him either, chatting with the other guests and leaving him be. It was a small pattern, but it only made Percy cherish them all the more. They really did know him.

Annabeth had already turned 24 on July 12th, but today, August 18th, Percy would join her, completing 24 full years. It had been one hell of a ride, that was for sure. Naturally, Annabeth had been the one to plan the whole party. How that woman juggled so much, Percy figured he would never know. She too had known him enough not to throw a surprise party, instead running it by him first. He'd crushed her with a big hug, he remembered.

Additionally, Thalia and Nico had so far played surprisingly nice with Annabeth. You know, besides that one threat.

" _Nobody's allowed to hurt this asshole but me,"_ Thalia had said, punching Percy lightly, playfully on the shoulder. Percy, embarrassed, had hissed at her to shut up, though he knew that she and Nico were simply especially protective of him after Gabe. She was like a big sister to him, in many ways. Percy suspected they both were slowly warming up to Annabeth, something that warmed _Percy_ to the bone. Maybe once they'd seen how much thought she had put into his birthday, they'd realized how much she loved him.

Rachel was there too, her frizzy curls only frizzed up more once ruffled by Thalia, who affectionately always referred to the redheaded girl as _Carrot Top._ Annabeth truly had thought of everyone. Speaking of the devils, Percy glanced across the room where the two young women were deep in conversation, Rachel's face animated and Annabeth's uncharacteristically happy as well. It made him feel fuzzy inside.

Turning to look the other way, Percy spotted Leo and Calypso. Calypso had asked him if he still hated Valentine's Day when she'd first arrived, successfully making him laugh. They seemed happy together, only making Percy share their contentedness.

Despite being the birthday boy, Percy spoke with no one, not at the moment, instead soaking in everyone else's happiness and quietly sitting on the couch, affectionately observing his friends.

"Mind if I join you?"

Percy glanced back to see the familiar brunette, her kaleidoscope eyes shining, and her glossy hair falling in her face all pretty and perfect. It had started with Piper and he supposed it was only natural that it ended with her. She had been the one to really push him and Annabeth together, even if it had been her awkward shipping when they had still "detested" each other. Percy gestured to the open seat next to him. She sunk down in the cushions next to him, apparently already accustomed to Annabeth's strange decorative pillows.

"Happy Birthday," she told him, a lopsided beam playing on her face. Percy had decided he'd liked her ever since she'd loudly expressed her feelings regarding Percy's appearance in front of Annabeth, no less. Over time, however, Percy had finally become less of an untouchable figure in Piper's mind, and she'd began to view him as a regular human being- much to his relief. As time had passed, Percy had found that they had a lot more in common than he'd initially thought. They both had beautiful singing voices, she too enjoyed messing with their favorite stern blonde, they both loved Annabeth a whole lot, she also liked Led Zeppelin (which they'd both practically screamed in the car, much to Annabeth's fake annoyance). She was fun, lighthearted like Percy had expected.

"Thanks, Pipes," Percy dutifully nodded.

"You're getting old, my dude," she joked, causing Percy to grin.

"You just turned 22 on June 3rd," he pointed out, trying and failing to defend himself.

"Yeah, but I don't show it," Piper dramatically flicked her hair out of her eyes, posing like a diva. Percy snorted.

"Are you telling me I _look_ old?" he accused her, feigning hurt.

Her painted lips spread slowly and she giggled, a bubbly, happy sound, a sound that was unmistakably and unapologetically Piper. "Of course not," she shrugged innocently despite the devious smirk on her face.

Percy casually bumped shoulders with her, making her temporarily lose balance.

"Percy!" she shrieked, laughing anyways.

" _Oops,"_ he laughed.

She rolled her eyes, good-naturedly. "I'd better go and the greet the host," said Piper, standing up. "I'll talk to you later, captain," she announced, ever the quirky one. Percy suppressed a smile.

"Of course, ma'am," he dipped his head like a chivalrous knight in shining silver armor. She winked in response, making her way towards Annabeth, who was currently joined with Malcolm and Rachel both. He watched her go, a smile still adorning his face. He felt, in some ways, Piper understood him like no other. He loved her too, he decided, he loved Piper in her own way.

"Cake!" Annabeth's voice cut through the chaos. She berated Leo, who was practically hovering over the sugar- like he needed any more in his system. Percy looked up in interest; cake was _always_ of interest to him, regardless of whose birthday it was.

It was chocolate, his favorite, coated in bright blue frosting, topped with sparkly cerulean candles and edible gold dolphins, starfish, seahorses, and clams- complete with gold pearls. It was very Annabeth, if he was being entirely honest, very perfect and put together. Percy immediately adored it, knowing she had picked out everything about it.

"Do you like it?" Annabeth's tone was unsure, hopeful. She bit her lip, looking down at him. All the guests had surrounded in a circle around him, the orange of the flames lighting up his face.

"I _love_ it," Percy fiercely proclaimed, his voice involuntarily cracking with emotion. Sally had always gotten him blue candles, just like these. In fact… Percy squinted at the candles, he was fairly certain these were the exact same brand. They were cheap candles, almost out of place on such an extravagantly decorated top of the cake. Meeting Annabeth's gaze, he understood immediately: she'd picked them on purpose. "I love it," he repeated, unable to tear his eyes away.

Somehow, he thought her radiant smile was brighter than all of the candles combined.

* * *

Most all of the guests had left by now, only Jason and Thalia remaining. The four of them were splayed out on the couch, sipping on some sparkling juice (Annabeth had made sure not get wine, which only made more emotions surge through Percy).

"I have something to tell you," Thalia openly admitted then, breaking the silence. She turned to Annabeth. "And you," she glanced at Jason. Jason's eyebrows furrowed together, sharing a confused look with Annabeth. Percy sat up in his seat, immediately on alert.

"Are you sure?" Percy voiced, tilting his head at Thalia. They'd had such a nice evening; what if Annabeth and Jason did not take the news kindly? Thalia bobbed her head in determination.

"I should've told you both this a long time," she sighed, taking a big chug of the juice. Percy supposed she was just used to using liquid courage that she did so out of habit. After all, everyone knew that sparkling juice contained no alcohol. Jason set his glass down and Annabeth cupped it, holding it close to her lap, both of them giving Thalia their undivided attention.

Carefully, Thalia revealed the information. Cautiously, she told them about Zeus and Athena, about blood, about feuds. Percy noted that she did leave details out, sparing Annabeth of her less-than-stellar opinion of Athena and saving Jason from hearing too much about their father. The raven-haired boy had no doubt that Annabeth felt betrayed by Athena, especially in light of recent events. Percy's hand slid on its own accord so that it was only mere inches away from Thalia's hand in case she needed him. This was hard for her too, Percy never forgot. When all was said and done, Jason and Annabeth were both deadly silent. Finally, Annabeth broke the silence.

"So, so I'm related to you?" her voice was small. Percy reached out and took her hand. "And you too?" she turned to glance at Jason. Jason was just as shocked as she was.

Thalia reluctantly nodded. The blonde's lips curved up in amusement and Percy feared she was going to lose it, but no, he must have faith in her. Annabeth grinned, confusing Thalia as much as it did Percy.

"So you're saying that I'm technically a bloodline relative for _Thunderworks_ as well?" the blonde inquired.

Jason immediately understood, the corner of his mouth curling up as well. They both co-owned the business, but in the end, they'd been family after all, just like _Thunderworks_ and _Stone Records_ had always been intended to be. They were family businesses, they were only ever supposed to go to the children of the owners, though Percy suspected that Jason and Annabeth would break that foolish tradition as well (they were much too progressive for that sort of thinking). He shared a knowing smile with Annabeth, one that made Percy think he had perhaps missed something. Their bond seemed to run deeper than Percy remembered. Nonetheless, he was happy for them, and more so, relieved that neither of them seemed angry. Thalia slumped back in her seat. She seemed to share his sentiment exactly.

"Athena's my half aunt," Jason breathed, the realization seemingly only just beginning to click with him. "And you- you're my half cousin," he nodded at Annabeth.

"Zeus is my half uncle," Annabeth confirmed, though she seemed unsure herself. Logically, she knew the truth now, but Percy understood it would take time for the both of them, as all things worth it in the end did.

* * *

Annabeth childishly swung their hands in between them, but Percy didn't mind all that much. He'd never done this before, never relaxed and strolled through Central Park. He'd never been allowed the privilege of living his life without worry, not even as a child, forever plagued by the harsh realities of the world. It was a strange experience, but one he found himself welcoming with wide open arms.

Percy reached down, bringing her hand up and kissing her knuckles casually, fondly. It had been about eight and a half weeks after he'd broken his arm, and he'd forgotten how it felt to be free for so long. Only just adjusting to the new change, Percy had recently gotten his sling off about a week and a half ago. His arm had healed along, along with his soul, he couldn't help but think. As they wandered through the natural beauty of Central Park, Percy momentarily allowed his mind to wander, entirely comfortable in the presence of the girl he loved.

Glancing down at Annabeth next to him, Percy pursed his lips. He could still distinctly remember the day he'd first come face to face with Annabeth's striking grey eyes, piercing and intense, eyes that could melt metal. He could still remember the electricity crackling between them as the elevator slid shut in between them. He could recall the way she'd shrugged off his importance, swooping in and quickly taking the last spot in the elevator before he could even offer it to her. He could remember the comical way in which her jaw had dropped when she'd realized her mistake, understanding that Percy himself was to be the new artist. They had come a long way since then. Silently, Percy squeezed her hand in his.

"Hey, Wise Girl?"

"Mhm?" she glanced up at him, her expression soft.

"Do you think angels have wings?" he suddenly inquired.

Annabeth looked at him strangely, but answered nonetheless. She always answered, no matter how stupid the question. It was part of the reason they were such a perfect pair; Percy had too many questions for Google itself and Annabeth had more answers than anyone else could bear to listen to. "I'm not sure angels are even real, Perce. Nobody can really know," she shrugged her small shoulders.

Percy nodded slowly, thinking back to all the times unexplainable things had happened to him, whether good or bad. He wasn't sure he believed in guardian angels either, but he felt that in some way, he owed somebody some sort of thanks. Somehow, life always had a funny way of working itself out. Perhaps someone, _someones_ even, did look out for him. But that didn't mean that those people had to necessarily be dressed in white gowns with golden halos glowing above the crowns of their heads, playing the harp in the heavens above. Perhaps one found guardian angels on a day-to-day basis. Perhaps one found solace and protection in loved ones, in those they put their hope in.

He affectionately recalled Sally making him blue chocolate chip cookies, the mouthwatering scent wafting out to the small living room, and Annabeth consoling him as he sniveled pathetically over a vase of blue hydrangeas, and Thalia bandaging a particularly nasty gash on his arm, not asking questions even they both knew it was an injury that could not have come from any normal activities, and Nico saving his ass after he recklessly insulted some bikers, the younger Italian boy's quick wit making sure that Percy got out of the sticky situation untouched and unharmed. These were his friends and family, these were his loved ones for better or for worse. They were forever bound together, for all of eternity, and Percy suspected the list would only grow longer with time, as he realized who his true friends were and had always been. Jason, Piper, Calypso, Leo, Malcolm, Rachel, Will, and more. Who knew what was to come?

Whoever said that God was the only one deserving of faith? Whoever said that Percy could not put his trust in the people closest to him?

"I think," Percy began cautiously, "not all angels need wings to fly- some walk with us." Annabeth was silent, contemplating his words for some time. They fell into a comfortable silence, their sweaty fingers interlocked.

It was hot out, despite the dark of night, and Percy knew with certainty that summer was rapidly reaching its peak. And afterwards, the leaves would begin to fall, turning vibrant hues of autumn, and then the snow would bury them in its iciness, but Percy would not allow his heart to be frozen alongside the shift of the seasons. His heart had already frozen and thawed in many painful cycles plenty of times. Another 365 days would have to pass before he could stand here at the same time with the same beautiful girl all over again. Her hand in his felt like a promise, an unspoken promise of the future, whatever was to come, be it good or bad, that they were in this together till the very end. It was a promise of many, many more years to come, of more summers like this one, of more arguments and laughter, of more love. And after enough years had passed, Percy would be buried under the earth, once again reunited with Sally and returned to the Earth, returned to all those who had left him through the years. But for once, the thought was not frightening. Quite the opposite, in fact. He had barely scratched the surface. Percy had many more years to live and though he'd never been an optimist, he could see the light in front of him, he could feel hopeful for a better future, for one with _her,_ with Annabeth Chase, with all his friends, with this new faith he'd found in the people he loved.

Out here, out in the fresh air, Percy felt closest to them. Not to the angels who may or may not exist, not to God, whose existence Percy was also unsure about, but to his mother, to Sally Jackson. He felt Sally's loving embrace in the occasional cool breezes that unstuck his hair previously plastered with sweat to his forehead, providing temporary relief from the humidity. He felt her kiss as the tree leaves rustled in the dark, new plants sprouting all over, flower buds biding their time to burst open in a spectacular display of colors and shapes. He felt her warm smile when, during the day, the sun beat down on him, warming him to the bone. And he saw her twinkling blue eyes in the stars, bright against the dark canvas of the nighttime.

Percy wasn't sure if he'd imagined it, but above them, he could've sworn the stars winked down at him. For once, he didn't question it, instead smiling down at the green grass underneath him and pulling Annabeth close to his side despite her laughter and protests of the heat.

 _Not all angels fly above._

 **A/N: I'm not really the sentimental type, so I'm not going to sob all over you guys lol, but it's definitely been one hell of a ride. It's almost been a year and a half, so hopefully my writing has gotten better with each chapter: I know that whenever I skim through the first chapters, I always cringe a little haha. I have no doubt that in a couple years, even seeing this story will be completely unbearable for me ;)**

 **It's so strange that it's over. I have gotten so much support for this story and I want to thank each and every one of you who stayed by my side through it all, despite my shitty updating schedule. It means a lot to me, you have no idea. Thank you to everyone who followed, favorited, reviewed, or PMed me for this story. They're just numbers, but I cherish it all the same. I didn't really expect much from this story, but to see it blow up like it did, it was wild. I hope you guys liked the ending. I tried not to make it too corny and I always love when the title name connects to the end of a story; it just gives it a really nice, rounded feeling, ya know? But** **I was super nervous to post this chapter because I didn't want it to be a sloppy finish. I hope it lived up to expectations.**

 **I don't usually like plugging my writing (it feels strange, when I could plug other, better authors instead :P), but if you guys enjoyed my writing, I'll continue to release one shots like I always do, and I plan to release another big, multi-chapter story soon. It's going to be a Royal AU and I'm ecstatic, I must say. I'm pretty sure the poll is still up on my profile, if you still want to vote (though it won't really affect anything since I've already started writing the next story, but it might be nice for you to check it out so you kinda have a synopsis for the story). I'll probably take it down as soon as I release the first chapter though.**

 **Also, I don't know how many of you are part of other fandoms I'm in (and I'm in a** _ **lot**_ **haha), but I may be releasing one shots for other fandoms as well in the near future. So keep your eyes peeled just in case I release something from another one of your fav universes.**

 **Finally, I'd just like to thank you all for going on this journey with me and I really hope you loved it as much as I did. As always, stay safe. :)**

 **Fangirl Shrieks xx**

* * *

 **loudlilylaughter11, RoyalFox89, Percabeth824, Mitsuha Miyamizi:** Even though there's not much I can say for your reviews since there's nothing big to address, I still wanted to acknowledge you guys b/c- A) this is the last chapter and my last chance to thank you and B) you guys have diligently reviewed almost every chapter and I love you for it. Thank you for the constant stream of encouragement and thank you for sticking with me and my frustrating self until the very end; I hope it lived up to your expectations. :)

Warm regards,

Fangirl Shrieks xxx

 **Reader:** Yes to all of the above! I do think he must refrain from everyone's darker thoughts purely because of his demographic, but yes, exactly! I frickin' love you XP Separation anxiety and PTSD are both a big yes to me and I completely agree with your entire sentiment (your Tartarus example was perfect). Thanks for making me feel less crazy lol :P

Yes, I'm so glad that worked! Because I obvi always know what's going to happen, I couldn't exactly surprise myself with Percy and Annabeth's choices, so I couldn't tell if I was properly making that scene unclear. I purposefully wanted to keep you guys guessing who was saying what in that one scene, who was quitting, and who Athena was calling, at least until Percabeth had their own interaction regarding the decisions they'd made. Cue my awkward methods of not disclosing genders XD "the body of a human being with its blueish-greenish-greyish eyes, sitting in front of Athena, who identified as neither a he nor her, smiled, pushing their darkish-blondish-blackish hair out of their face…"

Thank you; I always thought it was very important in the Percabeth relationship for Annabeth to make her own choices and control her own life. It would feel very OOC to me if Percy just magically saved her from Athena's manipulative ways. He's always given her space to grow, instead standing on the sidelines to support whatever decision she makes.

Thank you for reviewing, thank you for talking with me and writing long reviews that make me smile when I read them, thank you for boosting my self-esteem XD, and thank you for giving this story a chance. I hope the ending was satisfactory. :)

Best wishes,

Fangirl Shrieks xx

 **aaquater:** True XD No, you're right: Athena doesn't care for either girl's feelings, it's just a big publicity stunt to her. I suppose Athena just doesn't want her daughter to be involved with anyone because she's always preached putting the career before above anything else (even at the expense of sanity and mental/physical health, as we often see with Annabeth). If Annabeth's off fooling around with Percy, she's not at Athena's beck and call, so naturally, Athena would want to squash this behavior. Not to mention, Drew's a big celebrity, so it's more tactful when regarding fans and all that fame. (Omfg I never even thought of that! You're brilliant haha)

I totally agree. I remember that as I was writing this story, I wanted to add another layer to Athena, maybe display how she can _sometimes_ be motherly to Annabeth, almost as if all her cruel behavior is just her genuinely thinking she's doing what's best for Annabeth. (It then raises the question: Is someone truly evil if they think what they're doing is right? And for that reason, is _anyone_ really evil?) However, I was very hesitant to tell anything through her POV. Often I feel that you guys can comprehend the different layers of seemingly "bad" characters once you hear their thoughts. It never justifies their actions, obviously (think Luke), but it gives you something new to contemplate. However, because Athena is well, technically, a Greek goddess, idk. I just felt weird trying to portray her mind, like it almost wasn't my place to talk about her view. Perhaps if I had the guts to demonstrate her POV, she wouldn't be so openly villainous, but I fully agree that, based off the plain way I've characterized, she might as well be Tremaine.

I think that's going to be the thing that takes Annabeth the longest to learn. Her deeply-rooted fear/longing for family is something that will stay with her forever, long after she's broken free of her mother's grasp. I know in this chapter, though it was the last, I didn't show Annabeth's full recovery of her mother's manipulative methods. I did this on purpose. I just strongly feel that it will take Annabeth a very long time to completely move on and it would be highly unrealistic to have her completely healed by the end of this chapter. It will take her years, I suspect, and on her rougher days, I'm sure the memory will forever resurface even if only briefly. I know I also said that Athena let her go as well, disowning-but not really-disowning her. Perhaps one day they will forgive each other and they will talk again, Annabeth loving her mother without being her personal punching bag like you said, or perhaps they'll just grow apart and forever have a slightly bitter relationship- like Jason and Zeus. I suppose we'll never really know since this is the end. Just something to think about, I guess.

Finally, I'd like to thank you. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I'm pretty sure you're my oldest and most regular reviewer for this story. You're the real MVP haha. I know I always looked forward to your reviews every single time I posted a chapter and without fail, I would have within a couple hours, making me ridiculously happy. Thank you for not being afraid to voice your judgement; your criticism and compliments made me a better writer and I hope you agree with me when I say that my chapters have improved over the past year and a half of writing this story. Part of that is, without a doubt, because of your feedback.

Your opinion means the world to me, truly, and it was fun trading messages back and forth with you- one of the highlights of my day every time I posted new work. Thanks for sticking with this story, no matter how frustrating and ludicrous my chapters/update schedule got. Thank you for calling me out on my mistakes XD, something that always made me grin like a lunatic at my phone. (I'm pretty sure I've gotten strange stares from people in public because of this :P) You have a strange way of encouraging people, but oddly, it worked with me haha. Someone once told me that detailed reviews like yours let me know where I'm at, and therefore make this journey as enjoyable as possible- for you, the readers- but most importantly for me, because if I don't feel happy writing, nothing else matters ;) Your reviews have made a very happy writer indeed.

I hope you enjoyed the conclusion to _Angels Fly Above_ and above all, I want to wish you happy reading in the future, whether it be with my future stories or anyone else's. I hope other FF authors cherish your diligent/thorough reviewing and don't take your faith in them for granted. After all, good authors make great stories, but great fans make the best authors. :)

Much love,

Fangirl Shrieks xx


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